Trump Says U.S. Is ‘Starting To Talk To Cuba’ As He Moves To Cut Its Oil Supplies
ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (AP) — President Donald Trump says the United States has begun talking to Cuban leaders as his administration puts more pressure on them. island ruled by communists and cutting off major oil supplies.
The Republican president made the comment to reporters as he flew to Florida on Saturday night. This follows his moves in recent weeks to cut off oil supplies from Venezuela and Mexico, which he suggested on Saturday would force Cuba to the negotiating table.
His goals for Cuba remain unclear, but Trump turned his attention more to the island after his administration captured Venezuela’s then-President in early January. Nicolas Maduro and acted more aggressively in confronting nations that were enemies of the United States
Trump predicted that the Cuban government was ready to fall.
He did not provide any details on Saturday about the extent to which or when his administration has reached out to Cuba recently, but said only that “we are starting to talk to Cuba.”
Bloomberg via Getty Images
Their latest moves to cut off oil supplies have put the island under pressure.
Last week, Trump signed an executive order imposing tariffs on all goods from countries that sell or supply oil to Cuba. This move put pressure on Mexico, on which Cuba became dependent for oil, after Trump halted oil shipments from Venezuela following the ouster of Maduro.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum warned that this could lead to a humanitarian crisis. He said Friday he would seek alternatives to continue helping Cuba.
“This doesn’t have to be a humanitarian crisis. I think they’ll probably come to us and want to make a deal,” Trump said Saturday. “So Cuba will be free again.”
He predicted they would make some kind of deal with Cuba and said, “You know, I think we’ll be nice.”
Price reported from Washington.
