Donald Trump has directed attention toward Cuba, urging the country to negotiate with the United States “before it’s too late.” The US president cautioned Cuba about the potential halt in oil and financial aid from Venezuela, its longstanding ally and primary oil provider. It is estimated that Venezuela supplies around 35,000 barrels of oil daily to Cuba. However, following the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, by US forces in Caracas on January 3, Trump has pushed interim president Delcy Rodriguez to reroute Venezuelan oil to the US.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump highlighted Cuba’s historical reliance on oil and financial support from Venezuela in exchange for providing “Security Services” to the Venezuelan dictators. Trump emphasized that this support would cease, stating, “THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA – ZERO! I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.”
The specifics of the deal Trump seeks from Cuba and the potential repercussions for Cuba remain undisclosed. Cuba has traditionally supplied various personnel to Venezuela, including doctors, nurses, military advisers, and members of Maduro’s security team. The Cuban government reported the loss of 32 nationals serving as Maduro’s bodyguards during the January 3 operation, with President Miguel Díaz-Canel praising them as courageous fighters who defended against the attackers.
In a recent post on Truth Social, Trump mentioned that most of the Cuban personnel were killed in the US operation last week, implying that Venezuela no longer requires protection from the individuals who previously held them captive. Trump asserted that Venezuela now has the support of the US military, the most powerful globally, for its defense.
As of now, the Cuban government has not responded to Trump’s latest statements. US intelligence reports have portrayed a challenging economic and political environment in Cuba. However, sources familiar with confidential assessments indicated that there is limited evidence to support Trump’s assertion that Cuba is on the brink of collapse following Maduro’s capture.