‘Make A Deal Or Else…’: After Venezuela’s Fall, Trump Turns To Cuba, Tells Havana ZERO Oil, ZERO Money

After the US operation in Venezuela and Maduro’s capture, Trump says Cuba’s oil and cash lifeline is over and urges Havana to strike a deal before it is too late.

New Delhi: US President Donald Trump has declared that Cuba will no longer receive oil or financial support from Venezuela, following what he described as a decisive US military operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.

Speaking on Sunday, he claimed that Cuba had depended for years on Venezuelan oil and money in exchange for providing security services to what he called Venezuela’s last two dictators. He said that arrangement had now come to an end after recent US actions in Caracas.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Cuba lived, for many years, on large amounts of OIL and MONEY from Venezuela. In return, Cuba provided ‘Security Services’ for the last two Venezuelan dictators, BUT NOT ANYMORE! Most of those Cubans are DEAD from last weeks U.S.A. attack, and Venezuela doesn't need protection anymore from the thugs and extortionists who held them hostage for so many years.”

He went on to say that Venezuela would now be under US protection, adding, “Venezuela now has the United States of America, the most powerful military in the World (by far!), to protect them, and protect them we will. THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA – ZERO! I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE. Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DJT.”

Following Maduro’s capture, Venezuela’s Vice President Delcy Rodriguez formally took charge as acting president. Trump has previously said that the United States would now “run Venezuela” and seek full access to the country’s oil resources under the new leadership.

Earlier on Friday local time, he met senior oil and gas executives at the White House, where he talked about large-scale investments in Venezuela’s energy sector. Addressing reporters after the meeting, he said, “We just had a great meeting with the oil executives, we sort of formed a deal.”

He added, “They are going to be going in with hundreds of billions of dollars in drilling oil, and it's good for Venezuela, and it's great for the United States,” Fox News quoted Trump as saying.

He also talked about the financial impact of the proposed investments. “A lot of money is going to be made. Oil prices will come down, although they are getting down pretty good now without it, and it was a great meeting we had today with the biggest companies anywhere in the world,” he added.

The US president assured oil executives that safety and security in Venezuela would be guaranteed. He stated that the United States had originally built Venezuela’s oil industry and would now take steps to recover assets he said were stolen. He said he was pleased to host some of the world’s largest oil and gas companies at the White House and added that Maduro’s departure opened the door to a strong future for both nations.

Earlier this week, Trump said Venezuela would hand over between 30 million and 50 million barrels of oil to the United States. He said the oil would be sold at market prices, with the proceeds controlled by the United States.

Meanwhile, Cuba announced last week that 32 of its citizens were killed during the US military operation in Venezuela. The Cuban government observed two days of national mourning on January 5 and January 6 to honour those who lost their lives in the operation.