'No oil, no money...': Trump threatens Cuba after Venezuela action
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump has warned Cuba of a cutoff of oil and financial support. The warning comes days after military actions in Venezuela. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, "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 accused Cuba of relying on Venezuelan resources for years and providing "security services" to the last two Venezuelan dictators.
Protection shift
Trump claims Venezuela no longer needs Cuba's protection
Trump claimed that Venezuela doesn't need Cuba's protection anymore, adding that the United States will now protect Venezuela. "Venezuela now has the United States of America, the most powerful military in the World (by far!), to protect them, and protect them we will," he said. This comes after a US-led operation captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
Diplomatic tensions
Cuban President condemns US actions as 'state terrorism'
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has condemned the US actions as "state terrorism." "Cuba condemns and denounces these actions as an act of state terrorism," Diaz-Canel said. Speaking at a rally outside the US Embassy in Havana, he called it a "shocking violation of international law." The situation could lead to social instability and mass emigration from Cuba, experts warn.
Emigration concerns
Cuban student expresses desire to emigrate amid crisis
According to Livemint, a Cuban student, identified as Amanda Gomez, said that many are considering leaving Cuba. She said the desire to emigrate is felt by all generations, from young people to the elderly. Even before the January 3 attack, Cuba was grappling with severe power outages and long queues at fuel stations and grocery stores.
Economic impact
Analysts warn of deeper crisis for Cuba
Michael Galant from the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington, DC, said the loss of Venezuelan oil would worsen an already dire situation in Cuba and reflect an economy in collapse. The US president had earlier hinted at a possible political change in Cuba, sharing a post on X that joked about Marco Rubio becoming the president of Cuba. Trump shared a screenshot of the post, writing, "Sounds good to me!"