This Monday (16), the President of the United States, Donald Trump, called Cuba a “bankrupt nation”, while the ongoing oil embargo further paralyzes the country’s flights and airport operations. The statement was made to reporters while he was aboard a presidential aircraft. Trump continued, saying that “they don’t even have fuel to take off their planes”, and concluded by reiterating that Marco Rubio, Secretary of State, is in negotiations with Havana.
Venezuela, once Cuba’s main oil supplier, practically stopped shipments in mid-December last year. The Caribbean country has been facing shortages of food, medicine and fuel, as well as blackouts. The Spanish government announced humanitarian aid after a meeting in Madrid between foreign ministers José Manuel Albares and Bruno Rodríguez.
The Mexican government announced the suspension of shipments after Washington threatened to impose tariffs on countries that supply oil to Cuba. “We’ll see how it all ends, but Cuba and the United States are talking,” said Trump, citing negotiations for an agreement between the two countries. The American president also stated that an operation similar to Venezuela’s against Cuba “would not be a very difficult operation” if the agreements fail.
