Washington, Feb 27 (EFE).- United States President Donald Trump said on Friday that he might opt for a “friendly takeover of Cuba,” amid tensions over Washington’s oil blockade.
”The Cuban government is talking with us, and they’re in a big deal of trouble. They have no money. They have no anything right now, but they’re talking with us, and maybe we’ll have a friendly takeover of Cuba,” Trump said as he left the White House for a trip to Texas.
The president assured the United States could do something “very positive” for Cuban citizens in exile and those who still reside in the country.
His statements come amid tensions between Washington and Havana over the crude oil blockade to the island, and just days after Cuban authorities opened fire against a boat from Florida that allegedly violated its territorial waters, causing the death of four crew members.
At least one of the four dead and one of the six injured on the vessel were US citizens, while the rest could be permanent legal residents.
In January, after the attack against Venezuela in which President Nicolás Maduro (2013-2025) was captured, Cuba lost access to Venezuelan oil, and Trump ordered the imposition of tariffs on countries that supply crude oil to the island, aggravating the worst economic and social crisis the country has experienced since 1959.
However, on Wednesday, the United States Government relaxed the oil blockade imposed on Cuba and authorized the re-export of Venezuelan crude to the island, with certain restrictions and through the private sector. EFE
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