US blockade against Cuba hinders the work of refineries in the country

SANTIAGO DE CUBA, Cuba, Mar 4 (ACN) The obstacles imposed on the country to obtain fuels, new technologies and spare parts hinder the work at the Hermanos Diaz Oil Refinery, in the eastern province of Santiago de Cuba, renowned for the creativity of its innovators.

According to the Cuban News Agency Irene Barbados, general director of the institution, the financial deficit due to the genocidal blockade imposed on the island by the U.S. government interrupted during the last few years the refining process, the main social purpose of the center.

She underscored the unavailability of raw materials as the greatest impact on the company's performance, since the possibility of buying crude oil on a regular basis would favor the processing and obtaining of products necessary for society and the economy.

The initiative adopted by the innovators since 2022, based on the refining of non-conventional crude oil, made it possible to have diesel and fuel products for electricity generation, as well as to overcome the company's state of losses, she explained.

According to Barbados, a detailed study of the properties of the material, used exclusively in the thermoelectric power plants, made it possible to adapt the procedures, optimize the quality and increase the profits of the company and the workers.

It assured its consolidation as an essential link in the commercialization and distribution of fuels despite the limitations, since it has an international dock and one of the largest tank bases in the country, suitable for the storage of diesel, kerosene, liquefied petroleum gas, among others.

On the other hand, she pointed out the difficult access to chemical reagents and laboratory equipment, due to the gradual reduction of suppliers, while she acknowledged the workers' activism in obtaining authorized solvents and other substances, in order to certify the quality with the required standards.

With more than 700 workers, the Hermanos Diaz Oil Refinery is characterized by the permanence and deep-rooted sense of belonging of its personnel, essential in times of energy contingency.