During a conversation with conservative host Hugh Hewitt, U.S. President Donald Trump declared that Washington has already maximized its pressure on the Cuban regime, suggesting that the only remaining measure would be direct military intervention.
"I don't think you can apply much more pressure unless you go in and destroy the place," Trump remarked when asked if his administration should increase actions against Havana, following over sixty years of communist dictatorship.
Trump's comments came as he elaborated on his belief that Cuba finds itself in a precarious position after the fall of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, which had been a crucial economic and political ally.
"Their entire existence depended on Venezuela. That's where they got their oil and money," he stated, reinforcing that the regime led by Miguel Díaz-Canel is "hanging by a thread."
Despite the strong rhetoric, Trump clarified that he doesn't see an immediate need for intervention, as he believes the regime might collapse due to internal exhaustion.
"Cuba is in big trouble," he reiterated, acknowledging that while this assessment has been repeated over the years without the system collapsing, he now perceives it as "quite close."
These comments come just days after the Republican, speaking from Air Force One, asserted that "Cuba is ready to fall" and as top Republican leaders have intensified their rhetoric against Havana.
Senator Lindsey Graham, one of Trump's most influential allies in foreign policy, declared that "Cuba's days are numbered," describing the country as "the head of the snake" of authoritarianism in Latin America.
This escalation in rhetoric aligns with a broader economic offensive by Washington in the region. The White House has stipulated that any revival of Venezuelan oil must be contingent upon a total cut of ties between Caracas and Cuba, China, Russia, and Iran, which threatens to leave the island even more isolated and without its primary source of subsidized energy.
Implications of U.S. Policy on Cuba
What did Trump suggest as the only remaining action against Cuba?
Trump suggested that the only remaining action against Cuba would be direct military intervention.
Why is Cuba considered to be in a critical situation according to Trump?
Trump believes Cuba is in a critical situation due to its reliance on Venezuela for oil and support, which collapsed with Nicolás Maduro's fall.
What conditions has the U.S. set for reviving Venezuelan oil?
The U.S. has conditioned any revival of Venezuelan oil on a complete severance of ties between Caracas and countries like Cuba, China, Russia, and Iran.