President Donald Trump delivered a strong cautionary message to Cuba on Sunday as the Caribbean island faces increasing uncertainty due to the political upheaval in Venezuela. This message arrives amid Washington's efforts to disrupt Venezuela's oil production and shipping routes, actions which have effectively halted the flow of oil exports to Cuba.
Cuba, long sustained economically by subsidized Venezuelan oil, now faces the end of this arrangement as U.S. forces continue seizing oil tankers connected to Venezuela’s supply chain. On social media, President Trump underscored this shift, stating that Cuba had "long lived off Venezuelan oil and money and had offered security in return," adding emphatically, "BUT NOT ANYMORE!" He declared there would be "NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA - ZERO!"
Addressing the Cuban government directly, Trump advised them to "make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE," without providing details on the nature of the proposed agreement. The president’s weekend remarks came from his residence in southern Florida.
Meanwhile, the Cuban government reported casualties among its personnel in the wake of recent U.S. military operations. Specifically, it stated that 32 of its forces, involved in two key Cuban security agencies, lost their lives last weekend in Caracas, Venezuela's capital. These personnel were deployed under an agreement between Cuba and Venezuela.
President Trump also emphasized on Sunday that Venezuela no longer needs protection from "thugs and extortionists" who previously dominated the nation. Instead, he affirmed that the United States, which he described as having "the most powerful military in the World (by far!)," now stands ready to safeguard Venezuela’s interests.
In addition to his direct messages, Trump engaged with social media commentary suggesting that Florida Senator Marco Rubio, serving as Secretary of State, could assume leadership in Cuba, to which Trump responded positively, stating, "Sounds good to me!"
Trump’s administration has notably escalated its stance against Cuba over recent months, a move coinciding with Venezuela’s political shifts. Prior to Maduro’s removal, Cuba was already grappling with significant economic hardship, including prolonged blackouts and shortages at gas stations and supermarkets, marking its deepest crisis in decades. The cessation of Venezuelan oil shipments threatens further economic deterioration on the island.
Previously, Trump predicted that Cuba’s economy would decline sharply following Maduro’s ouster, summarizing his view with, "It's going down. It’s going down for the count." This prospective decline is linked to the long-standing impact of U.S. embargo policies and the loss of Venezuelan economic support.