HAVANA, Cuba: Cuba’s President Miguel Díaz-Canel on Monday rejected US President Donald Trump’s demands for the island country to “make a deal” following Washington’s capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
Diaz-Canel said there were “no conversations” with the United States, apart from limited technical contacts on migration.
“There are no conversations with the US government except for technical contacts in the area of migration,” Díaz-Canel wrote on X.
He added that Cuba’s relations with the United States “must be based on international law rather than hostility, threats, and economic coercion.”
Trump threatens to cut off Venezuelan oil
Trump on Sunday urged Cuba to reach a deal, warning that the Caribbean nation would lose access to Venezuelan oil and funds.
“THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA – ZERO!” he wrote on his Truth Social platform.
He added: “I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE,” but provided no details on what form such a deal could take.
The US president claimed that Cuba had long received Venezuelan oil in exchange for providing “security services” to past Venezuelan leaders.
“Most of those Cubans are DEAD from last week’s USA attack, and Venezuela doesn’t need protection any more from the thugs and extortionists,” Trump wrote.
Shipping data shows that no Venezuelan oil cargoes have left for Cuba since the US operation captured Maduro on January 3.
Meanwhile, the US is negotiating a $2 billion deal to purchase up to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil, with proceeds deposited under US Treasury supervision.
Cuba vows defence and sovereignty
Díaz-Canel responded firmly, pledging to defend Cuba. “Cuba is a free, independent and sovereign nation. No one tells us what to do,” he wrote. “We are ready to defend the homeland to the last drop of blood.”
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez also condemned Trump’s claims, stating that Cuba has the “absolute right” to import fuel from its partners without US interference.
“The US is behaving like a criminal and uncontrolled hegemon that threatens peace and security not only of Cuba and this hemisphere but of the entire world,” Rodriguez said.
Cuba confirmed that 32 of its citizens were killed during the US-led operation to capture Maduro, which also left dozens of Venezuelan security personnel dead.
US-Cuba communications
While Trump said the US was “talking to Cuba,” it was unclear at what level. Cuban officials confirmed that only technical contacts, mostly regarding migration, remain open.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a Cuban-American, has supported a tougher approach toward the island. Republican lawmakers praised Trump’s aggressive stance.
Cuba, heavily reliant on Venezuelan oil, faces mounting economic pressure. Residents expressed mixed reactions.
Paola Perez told Reuters that Cuba “will be affected, quite a lot” but emphasised that the country was not to blame for US-Venezuelan relations.
Luis Alberto Jimenez said the threats did not scare him. “At no point does that scare me because I’m prepared,” he said. “The Cuban people are prepared for anything, any situation that may arise.”
Maria Elena Sabina highlighted the impact of shortages on daily life. “There’s no electricity, no power, no gas, no liquefied gas. So… where is the oil that Venezuela or Mexico was sending?” she asked.
