“Cuba Warned to Strike Deal with US by Trump”

Donald Trump has directed attention towards Cuba, urging the country to strike a deal with the US “before it’s too late”. The US President cautioned Cuba that the flow of oil and funds from Venezuela, its key ally and primary oil provider, would cease. Venezuela reportedly sends approximately 35,000 barrels of oil daily to Cuba. Following the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, by US forces in Caracas on January 3, Trump pushed interim president Delcy Rodriguez to reroute Venezuelan oil to the US.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated, “Cuba has long relied on significant amounts of oil and money from Venezuela. In exchange, Cuba offered ‘Security Services’ to the last two Venezuelan dictators, but not anymore! There will be no more oil or money going to Cuba – zero! I strongly recommend they come to an agreement before it’s too late.”

The specific terms of the deal Trump is seeking from Cuba and the potential repercussions for the country remain undisclosed. Cuba has historically provided personnel to Venezuela, including medical professionals, military advisors, and members of Maduro’s security team. The Cuban government confirmed that 32 of its nationals, who served as Maduro’s bodyguards, perished during the raid on January 3. President Miguel Díaz-Canel hailed them as “brave Cuban combatants” who would be honored for confronting the “terrorists in imperial uniforms”.

In his latest post on Truth Social, Trump mentioned, “Most of those Cubans perished in last week’s US assault, and Venezuela no longer requires protection from the individuals who held them captive for many years. Venezuela now has the support of the United States of America, possessing the strongest military globally, to safeguard them, and safeguard them we shall.”

The Cuban government has not yet responded to Trump’s recent warnings. Despite US intelligence painting a grim picture of Cuba’s economic and political landscape, sources familiar with confidential assessments mentioned by Reuters have indicated limited evidence supporting Trump’s assertion that the nation is on the brink of collapse following Maduro’s capture.