Tankers dock on the Matanzas terminal as Cubans brace for worsening gasoline shortages after the U.S. seized Venezuela-linked tankers, chopping an important vitality lifeline in Matanzas, Cuba, Jan. 7, 2026.
Norlys Perez | Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday mentioned no extra Venezuelan oil or cash will go to Cuba and instructed the Communist-run island ought to strike a take care of Washington, ramping up stress on the longtime U.S. nemesis.
Venezuela is Cuba’s greatest oil provider, however no cargoes have departed from Venezuelan ports to the Caribbean nation for the reason that seize of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by U.S. forces in early January amid a strict U.S. oil blockade on the OPEC nation, delivery knowledge exhibits.
In the meantime, Caracas and Washington are progressing on a $2 billion deal to produce as much as 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil to the U.S., with proceeds to be deposited in U.S. Treasury-supervised accounts, a serious check of the rising relationship between Trump and interim President Delcy Rodriguez.
“THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA – ZERO! I strongly counsel they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE,” Trump wrote on his Fact Social platform on Sunday.
“Cuba lived, for a few years, on giant quantities of OIL and MONEY from Venezuela,” Trump added.
Trump didn’t elaborate on his instructed deal. U.S. officers have hardened their rhetoric towards Cuba in current weeks.
Briefing deliberate for Tuesday
Trump is scheduled to be briefed by senior officers in his administration on Tuesday on particular choices to reply to the protests in Iran, the Wall Avenue Journal reported on Sunday, citing U.S. officers.
The assembly can be a dialogue about doable subsequent steps, together with navy strikes, deploying secretive cyber weapons towards Iranian navy and civilian websites, inserting extra sanctions on Iran’s authorities, and boosting anti-government sources on-line, the Journal reported.
The White Home mentioned it had no touch upon the report.
Trump, who has repeatedly threatened to intervene in current days, posted on social media on Saturday: “Iran is FREEDOM, maybe like by no means earlier than. The USA stands prepared to assist!!!
Reuters couldn’t instantly confirm the Journal report.
Cuba defends import rights
Cuban Overseas Minister Bruno Rodriguez mentioned in a put up on X on Sunday that Cuba had the fitting to import gasoline from any suppliers keen to export it. He additionally denied that Cuba had acquired monetary or different “materials” compensation in return for safety companies offered to any nation.
Thirty-two members of Cuba’s armed forces and intelligence companies have been killed throughout the U.S. raid on Venezuela. Cuba mentioned these killed have been chargeable for “safety and protection” however didn’t present particulars on the association between the 2 long-time allies.
Cuba depends on imported crude and gasoline, primarily offered by Venezuela, and Mexico in smaller volumes, bought on the open market to maintain its energy mills and automobiles operating.
As its operational refining capability dwindled in recent times, Venezuela’s provide of crude and gasoline to Cuba has fallen. However the South American nation continues to be the biggest supplier with some 26,500 barrels per day exported final 12 months, in response to ship monitoring knowledge and inner paperwork of state-run PDVSA, which coated roughly 50% of Cuba’s oil deficit.
Mexico has emerged in current weeks as a crucial different oil provider to the island, however the provide stays small, in response to the delivery knowledge.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum final week mentioned her nation had not elevated provide volumes, however given current political occasions in Venezuela, Mexico had changed into an “necessary provider” of crude to Cuba.
U.S. intelligence has painted a grim image of Cuba’s financial and political state of affairs, however its assessments supply no clear assist for Trump’s prediction that the island is “able to fall,” Reuters reported on Saturday, citing three individuals accustomed to the confidential assessments.
The CIA’s view is that key sectors of the Cuban economic system, resembling agriculture and tourism, are severely strained by frequent blackouts, commerce sanctions and different issues. The potential lack of oil imports and different assist from Venezuela, for many years a key ally, might make governing tougher for President Miguel Diaz Canel.
