US President Donald Trump on Sunday said no more Venezuelan oil or money will go to Cuba and suggested the Communist-run island should strike a deal with Washington, ramping up pressure on the long-time US nemesis.
Venezuela is Cuba’s biggest oil supplier, but no cargoes have departed from Venezuelan ports to the Caribbean country since the capture of Venezuelan President
Nicolas Maduro by US forces in early January amid a strict US oil blockade on the Opec country, shipping data shows.
“THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA – ZERO! I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Sunday.
“Cuba lived, for many years, on large amounts of OIL and MONEY from Venezuela,” Trump said.
The US president did not elaborate on his suggested deal. US officials have hardened their rhetoric against Cuba in recent weeks.
Cuba’s President Miguel Diaz-Canel on Sunday rebuffed Trump’s threat, vowing to defend his country.