Cuba's Foreign Minister met with Yvan Gil, Venezuela's Minister of Foreign Affairs, on February 23, 2026, between 12:16 PM and 3:16 PM UTC, following reports of Cuban military and security personnel withdrawal ordered by Delcy Rodríguez after the end of Venezuela's oil subsidy, according to MagJorgeCastro on X. The meeting occurs amid shifting regional dynamics, as noted in separate commentary at the NABE2026 conference where energy expert Dan Yergin, Vice Chairman of S&P Global and moderator Elaine Buckberg from Harvard, discussed Venezuela's oil reserves. Yergin stated North Dakota produces more oil than Venezuela, questioned Venezuelan reserves where over half require $70-$80 per barrel to produce, and expressed skepticism about Venezuela's production capacity and government stability for investment. Yergin highlighted investor concerns, citing an oil CEO's response to potential Iraq developments: "I need to know what the rule of law will be" before investing. He identified Iran's threats as imposing a $10 fear premium on oil markets due to oil locations and potential Strait of Hormuz disruptions, per DianeSwonk's X post from the conference.
