Cuban leader asserts sovereignty after Trump’s oil cutoff warning
Cuban President **Miguel Díaz-Canel has responded defiantly to a warning from United States President Donald Trump that Cuba will no longer receive oil and financial support from Venezuela and that it should negotiate a deal with Washington before it is “too late.” Trump declared on social media that “there will be no more oil or money going to Cuba – zero” and urged the communist-run island to make a deal with the United States, a statement that reflects escalating tension after recent U.S. actions in the region including the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
In a post on the social platform X, Díaz-Canel rejected the demand and made it clear that Cuba will not accept external dictates on its policy or sovereignty. He emphasised that Cuba is a free, independent and sovereign nation and that no one dictates what it does. The Cuban leader framed Trump’s remarks as interference, asserting that Cuba has historically been subjected to aggression from the United States and must defend itself, even using the phrase that it is ready to defend the homeland “to the last drop of blood.”
Cuban foreign ministry officials also weighed in, arguing that Cuba has the right to import fuel and other resources from any willing supplier and rejecting claims that Havana received material compensation for security cooperation with Caracas. The foreign minister described U.S. actions as threatening and contrary to international peace and security.
Trump’s ultimatum follows a broader reassessment of U.S. policy toward Cuba as relations between Washington, Havana and Caracas evolve. Cuba has long relied on subsidised Venezuelan oil to help power its economy, but the capture of Maduro and efforts to reroute Venezuelan resources have placed intense pressure on that arrangement. Cuba has turned to other partners like Mexico for limited oil supplies amid persistent shortages and economic strain.
The clash underscores deep and ongoing geopolitical friction between the United States and Cuba, rooted in decades of adversarial relations and influenced by broader dynamics in Latin America, especially in the wake of major developments in Venezuela.
About the Author
