U.S. President Donald Trump has escalated pressure on Cuba by declaring that Venezuelan oil shipments and financial support to the island nation will cease, urging Havana to negotiate a deal with Washington before “it is too late.”
The announcement marks a significant shift in U.S.–Cuba relations following a dramatic military operation in Venezuela earlier this month.
In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump said that Cuba had long relied on “large amounts of OIL and MONEY from Venezuela,” but that this era has ended.
“THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA — ZERO! I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE,” he wrote, urging Cuba to engage with the U.S. but offering no specific terms or timeline.
The move comes in the wake of the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife during a January raid in Caracas, an operation that has deepened geopolitical tensions in the region and disrupted longstanding energy ties between Havana and Caracas.
- Israel Charges 12 Smugglers of Goods in Wartime
- WHO Says 40% of Global Cancer Cases Are Preventable
- Expired Materials Found at Pad Producing Factory in Senegal
Venezuela, Cuba’s chief oil supplier, previously sent tens of thousands of barrels of fuel per day to the island under preferential terms — a lifeline amid Cuba’s chronic energy shortages.
Cuba swiftly rejected Trump’s warning. Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez defended Havana’s right to import fuel from any willing exporter, asserting that the Caribbean nation will not bow to “unilateral coercive measures”
“Unlike the U.S., we do not engage in mercenary activities, nor do we resort to blackmail or military coercion against other states,” Rodríguez wrote on social media.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz‑Canel echoed this defiant tone, asserting national sovereignty and rejecting external interference.
“No one dictates what we do,” Díaz‑Canel said, stressing that Cuba will defend its independence and rights.
About the Author
