Trump Declares: "No More Oil or Money for Cuba!"

On Sunday, U.S. President Donald J. Trump issued a stern warning to the Cuban government, declaring an immediate halt to the flow of oil and funds from Venezuela—a crucial economic lifeline that the island nation has relied on for years.

In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump emphatically stated, "No more oil or money for Cuba: zero! I strongly suggest they reach an agreement before it's too late."

Trump reminded in his message that for decades, Cuba had heavily depended on Venezuelan crude and financial resources in exchange for providing "security services" from Havana to Venezuelan leaders Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro.

He further noted that this arrangement has now ended following Maduro's capture and the deaths of numerous Cuban military personnel during the U.S.-led military operation in Caracas.

Heightened Diplomatic Tensions

This warning comes amidst a period of especially high diplomatic tensions between Washington and Havana—the most severe in decades—in the wake of the political and economic ramifications of the Venezuelan dictator's capture.

Analysts suggest that Trump's message aims to increase pressure on the Cuban regime, already weakened by the loss of Venezuelan support and its own severe energy and economic crises.

Strategic Realignment Post-Maduro

The U.S. has not only announced the cessation of energy supplies benefiting Cuba but has also urged Havana to seek an "agreement" with Washington before facing further isolation and sanctions.

The president argues that Venezuela no longer requires external security support, as it is now under the protection of the United States. "The most powerful military in the world (by far!), to protect them, and we will protect them!" he expressed.

This U.S. decision has direct consequences for the Cuban economy, which has historically been vulnerable to energy shortages.

Cuba has been under a U.S. embargo for years, and the end of Venezuelan oil shipments, which were a critical part of its energy supply, threatens to worsen the already prolonged blackouts and financial limitations of the state.

Washington has indicated that these measures are part of a strategic reconfiguration following Maduro's capture, as the U.S. seeks to dismantle support networks for authoritarian governments in the region and encourage political change.

Official Cuban Response

The Cuban government, for its part, has rejected these warnings, maintaining rhetoric of resistance against what it calls external pressures and interference.

In Havana, the official discourse attempts to counteract these pressures through mobilizations and emphasizing "national unity" in the face of external threats.

However, the combination of an energy crisis, reduced traditional support, and direct warnings from the White House poses a scenario of increasing isolation for the regime, whose political and economic survival is seriously tested in the current regional context.