Trump: 'No more Venezuelan oil or money in Cuba'. Havana: 'US criminal country'
The aim is to prevent courts or creditors from seizing the proceeds from the sale of Venezuelan oil deposited in US Treasury accounts
US President Donald Trump, in a post on Truth Social, revived his criticism of the Cuban government in light of developments in the crisis in Venezuela. Trump claimed that for years Cuba has lived 'off large amounts of oil and money from Venezuela' in exchange for 'security services' for 'the last two dictators', but stated that 'it won't happen again now'.
According to Trump, many of those Cubans 'died' during the US military action against Nicolás Maduro's regime 'and Venezuela no longer needs protection from the thugs and extortionists who held them hostage for so many years. Venezuela now has the United States of America, the most powerful army in the world (by far!), to protect it'.
Trump therefore took the opportunity to reiterate US control in Venezuela and protection of the country, assuring that 'there will be no more oil or money in Cuba - zero!' and advising the island to negotiate 'before it is too late'.
Cuba responds to Trump: 'US criminal country out of control'
The government of Cuba responded through its Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodríguez, to Trump's threat by emphasising that Cuba 'does not receive, nor has it ever received, monetary or material compensation for security services provided to any country' and that 'unlike the US', it does not have 'a government that engages in mercenary activities, blackmail or military coercion against other states'.
The post concludes by stating that 'law and justice are on Cuba's side' and that 'the US is behaving like a criminal and uncontrolled hegemon that threatens peace and security, not only in Cuba and in this hemisphere, but throughout the world'.
