Photo by Humam Musawwir on Pexels.com
Former US President Donald Trump signals openness to a potential agreement with Cuba even as his administration escalates economic and diplomatic pressure on the communist-led island, following the collapse of its long-time ally Venezuela.
Speaking to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, Trump describes Cuba as a nation in prolonged decline and says Washington is engaging senior Cuban officials to determine what comes next. He offers no details on what a possible deal might involve.
The renewed hardline approach follows the January 3 removal of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, whose government had been a critical supplier of subsidized oil to Havana. In recent days, Trump signs an executive order threatening new tariffs on countries that continue selling oil to Cuba, triggering fuel shortages and long lines at gas stations in Havana.
US Charge d’Affaires Mike Hammer, who has served in Havana since 2024, reports hostile encounters during a visit to central Cuba, saying some residents verbally confronted him. He dismisses the incidents as politically motivated and says they do not reflect the broader Cuban population.
The US State Department backs Hammer, accusing the Cuban government of orchestrating intimidation efforts against American diplomats. It says US officials will continue engaging with ordinary Cubans despite what it calls harassment by the ruling Communist Party.
Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whose family fled Cuba decades ago, openly advocate political change in Havana. Trump has warned Cuban leaders to negotiate quickly, previously declaring that financial and energy support for the island would be cut off entirely.
Mexico, meanwhile, signals it will move in the opposite direction. President Claudia Sheinbaum says her government plans to send humanitarian aid, including food, and is exploring diplomatic options to keep oil flowing to Cuba. Havana, for its part, accuses Washington of attempting to choke its economy as rolling blackouts and fuel shortages worsen.