The Trump administration is targeting Cuba, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio leading a strategy to topple the communist regime without deploying U.S. soldiers, according to multiple reports. The U.S. is using an oil squeeze as a weapon against Cuba, cutting off fuel shipments from Venezuela after gaining control of its oil exports. Cuba has not received oil shipments in the past three months due to a U.S. energy blockade, President Miguel Díaz-Canel and the Cuban government have stated. According to a report, the U.S. has blocked sea routes to Cuba and threatened countries supplying Cuba with oil with sanctions.
Severe fuel shortages have plunged Cuba into what a report describes as its worst economic crisis in three decades. Major blackouts have affected Cuba, including a total blackout on Monday that plunged the country into darkness and disrupted services, according to multiple reports. In the past two years, Cuba has experienced four nationwide blackouts, research by specific outlets indicates. Since February 2024, a total of 10 widespread power outages have shaken the economy and nationwide morale in Cuba, further research reveals.
Rubio's goal is a 'global cleanup' of socialist regimes in the Western Hemisphere.
Cuba's domestic energy production is insufficient to meet demand. Cuba produces 40% of its petroleum but it's insufficient to meet demand, leading to power shortages, President Miguel Díaz-Canel has said. According to a report, domestic oil production in Cuba, which has been declining for years, covered less than 30% of demand in 2024. A report also links the increase in power outages in Cuba directly to the oil shortage.
Recent diplomatic contacts have occurred amid this pressure. Cuba's government held recent talks with the U.S. to resolve bilateral differences, marking the first official confirmation of such contacts, Cuban officials stated. According to a report, the Cuban government has been forced into opening talks with the United States. However, conflicting information exists about the substance of these discussions. Marco Rubio has demanded that Cuba's president resign and abandon its economic system for the U.S. to lift the oil blockade, but Cuba has only agreed to a gradual transition to a mixed economy, according to multiple reports. In contrast, no threats or time-bound demands were made in the talks, according to Cuban official Alejandro García.
President Trump has threatened to 'take' Cuba and said change on the island is imminent, with actions possibly coming soon.
The Cuban leadership has responded defiantly to U.S. pressure. President Miguel Díaz-Canel said he will not resign under U.S. pressure. According to a report, Trump's threats have heightened speculation that top leaders in Cuba could face the same fate as former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Another report states that Nicolas Maduro was captured at his residence in the Venezuelan capital Caracas in January.
International support has emerged but remains limited. Russia has pledged support for Cuba, including oil shipments and not abandoning the island, as stated by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. A Russian tanker, Anatoly Kolodkin, delivered oil to Cuba in March, which the U.S. allowed as a humanitarian move, according to multiple reports. The extent and effectiveness of Russian support for Cuba beyond the March oil shipment remains unclear.
Trump said Cuba's leadership wants a deal and mentioned sending Marco Rubio to negotiate.
The U.S. is also pressuring Cuba's medical diplomacy, a key revenue source. The U.S. is pressuring Latin American countries to cancel deals with Cuba for medical brigades, which Cuba accuses of being extortion, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez said. Cuba's medical missions generate significant revenue, projected at $7 billion last year, and are criticized for human rights violations, according to multiple reports. The specific impact of U.S. pressure on Latin American countries regarding medical brigade deals with Cuba is not fully known.
Cuba has taken some conciliatory steps, including a prisoner release. Cuba announced the release of 51 prisoners, possibly in response to relations with the Vatican, but it's unclear if political prisoners are included, the Cuban foreign ministry stated. Whether political prisoners are included in the 51 prisoners released by Cuba remains an open question.
Stepping down is not part of our vocabulary.
Internal U.S. dynamics may be shaping the strategy. The U.S. State Department is reportedly 'full of Cuban spies,' leading Rubio to run a 'one-man operation' on Cuba strategy, according to Mike Gonzalez. According to Daily Mail - News, two insiders described Rubio's goal as a 'global cleanup' of socialist regimes in the Western Hemisphere.
Cuban officials reportedly fear severe consequences. Cuban officials are 'shaking in their boots' and afraid of a fate similar to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an airstrike, according to two sources. According to a report, Maduro's capture robbed the Cuban regime of one of its closest allies and most important oil suppliers. Another report indicates it was at Trump's behest that Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez completely halted oil shipments to Cuba — which had already dwindled — in January.
US President Donald Trump earlier this week repeated his threats to take over Cuba and said he could do 'anything' he wanted with the island state.
U.S. threats have been vocal and direct. President Trump has threatened to 'take' Cuba and said change on the island is imminent, with actions possibly coming soon. Trump said Cuba's leadership wants a deal and mentioned sending Marco Rubio to negotiate. US President Donald Trump earlier this week repeated his threats to take over Cuba and said he could do 'anything' he wanted with the island state. However, contradictions exist about the timeline and urgency of U.S. action. Some reports suggest the White House is preparing a 'lightning-fast strike' to topple Cuba's leadership within days, while others indicate Trump's focus is on Iran first, with Cuba actions being more gradual or timed later. This contradiction creates uncertainty about the immediacy of potential U.S. intervention.
The full details and outcomes of the recent U.S.-Cuba talks remain unclear, as sources disagree on demands made. According to www.dw.com, foreign policy expert Klemens Fischer described the situation as potentially an attempt by Trump to break free, given that things aren't going as he wanted in Iran, needing to show strength while avoiding another war.
It may be an attempt to break free, given that things aren't going as he wanted in Iran. He needs to show that he is a strong president. On the other hand, he must also avoid waging another war.
Daily life in Cuba has been severely disrupted by the crisis. Garbage is piling up in Havana due to fuel shortages, and residents are burning it or using firewood for cooking during blackouts, according to multiple reports. The exact timeline and conditions for potential U.S. actions against Cuba are uncertain, given conflicting reports on urgency. The pattern of blackouts and economic strain continues to test the resilience of the Cuban population and government.