aUS President Donald Trump hinted at a ‘friendly takeover’ of Cuba on Friday — adding that officials from the island nation were presently in talks with his administration. The POTUS had ramped up his criticism of Havana following the invasion of Venezuela in early January and threatened tariffs against nations aiding the country. He also signed an executive order late last month to begin a fuel blockade. Trump has vowed to block oil access for Cuba — including control of Venezuelan supplies after the ouster of its leader.
“The Cuban government is talking with us. They’re in a big deal of trouble….They have no money, they have no anything right now. But they’re talking with us and maybe we’ll have a friendly takeover of Cuba,” Trump told reporters.
It was not immediately clear what a “friendly takeover” of another sovereign country would entail. The Trump administration has also intensified pressure on the communist government in Havana through a fuel blockade.
Trump demands Cuba ‘make a deal’
Trump had begun issuing ultimatums for Cuba soon after the invasion of Venezuela in January — demanding the Caribbean nation “make a deal” without specifying the terms or possible consequences.
“Cuba lived, for many years, on large amounts of oil and money from Venezuela. In return, Cuba provided ‘security services’ for the last two Venezuelan dictators, but not anymore! 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 posted on Truth Social in mid-January.
The remarks had triggered pushback from Cuban authorities — with Venezuelan foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez insisting that the island nation had “the absolute right to import fuel” from any willing exporter “without interference or subordination to the unilateral coercive measures of the United States”. He added that Cuba (unlike the US) did not lend itself to “blackmail or military coercion against other states”.