President Warns Island Nation’s Venezuelan Oil Lifeline is Severed
US President Donald Trump has publicly warned Cuba to negotiate with Washington, declaring that the communist nation will no longer receive vital oil or financial support from Venezuela. The warning comes in the wake of the US military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, allowing the Trump administration to redirect Venezuelan oil exports to the United States.
A Dire Economic Warning
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump stated bluntly: “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 emphasized that Cuba had depended for years on “large amounts of OIL and MONEY from Venezuela.”
The loss is devastating for Cuba’s economy. Data from last year shows Venezuela supplied an average of 27,000 barrels per day to the island, covering approximately half of Cuba’s oil deficit.
US Intelligence Assesses Cuban Stability
While Trump has suggested Cuba is “ready to fall,” a Reuters report citing US intelligence assessments paints a more nuanced picture. Sources familiar with the confidential reports indicate that while Cuba’s economy is severely strained—with key sectors like agriculture and tourism hobbled by blackouts and sanctions—there is no clear consensus that the government is on the brink of collapse.
The CIA assessment notes that losing decades of support from Venezuela, a key ally, will make governing “more difficult” for the administration that has ruled since the 1959 revolution.
Speculation on Political Future
In a separate social media post, Trump amplified a message suggesting US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, could become the next leader of Cuba. Trump reposted the message with the comment, “Sounds good to me!” This repost followed the operation in Caracas that resulted in Maduro’s capture and the deaths of dozens of Venezuelan and Cuban security personnel.
The public ultimatum marks a significant escalation in US pressure on Cuba, leveraging the dramatic shift in Venezuela’s political landscape to force a potential diplomatic reckoning.
