Cuba relations with the United States have soured considerably under the Trump administration. This adjustment came on the heels of President Donald Trump’s remarks earlier this month regarding Cuba’s longstanding connections with Venezuela. Even the U.S. president, in one of his recent statements against Cuba, described how large quantities of oil and money have come to the island from Venezuela. They had sold security services to the last two Venezuelan dictators, but he announced that this deal was finished.
Trump’s comments are coming on the heels of a U.S. operation in Venezuela. Cuban officials claimed that 32 of their nationals died in the course of the mission. The deal-maker-in-chief promised the Venezuelan people that their country would no longer be “protected from thugs and extortionists.” He announced that the U.S. military will now be responsible for protecting the South American country. He called on Cuba to begin good faith negotiations before it’s too late. This decision marks a possible turning point in the geopolitical landscape of the region.
In his last month in office, Trump reinstated Cuba’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism. This policy change has received furious backlash from Cuban government officials. They claim that Cuba was never paid for the security services it has provided. When times are tough, they fight back by asserting their right to import fuel without U.S. interference.
“Cuba lived, for many years, on large amounts of OIL and MONEY from Venezuela. In return, Cuba provided ‘Security Services’ for the last two Venezuelan dictators, BUT NOT ANYMORE!” – Trump
President Miguel Diaz-Canel and the Cuban government have strongly criticized the U.S. invasion in Venezuela as an act of imperialist aggression. They adamantly oppose being treated as second class citizens to U.S. policies. Echoing support for Cuba’s sovereignty, Diaz-Canel proclaimed, “Nobody tells us what we’re supposed to do.” He went on to lambast anyone who challenges Cuba’s political model, arguing that they don’t have the moral authority to do such a thing.
“Those who today hysterically rail against our nation do so out of rage over the sovereign decision of this people to choose their political model.” – Cuba’s President Miguel Diaz-Canel
Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez defended the country’s rights amid the ongoing diplomatic strife. He asserted that Cuba maintains “the absolute right to import fuel” and emphasized that these actions will occur “without interference or subordination to the unilateral coercive measures of the United States.”
The tense U.S.-Cuban relationship stretches back to 1959 when Fidel Castro’s communist revolutionaries toppled a U.S.-supported government. Ever since, bilateral diplomatic relations have remained mired in tension, rivalry, and outright hostility. The Trump administration reversed most of the initiatives that were undertaken to fix those relations. They reinstated crippling sanctions which aggravated an already-existing fuel and electric crisis on the island.
Trump’s decision was framed within sympathy for the Cuban people. Adding that the overwhelming majority of Cubans who participated in the failed insurrection have since died due to U.S. military actions. He also doubled down on how he wants to see Cuba evolve, so that it’s not still reliant on Venezuela.
“Most of those Cubans are DEAD from last week’s USA attack, and Venezuela doesn’t need protection anymore from the thugs and extortionists who held them hostage for so many years.” – Trump
Both leaders’ opening statements underscore a deep ideological chasm. They highlight the realities and challenges of U.S.-Cuba relations, especially against the backdrop of the unfolding tragedy in Venezuela. As rhetoric escalates, both countries seem increasingly dug in on their underlying arguments, making future conversations increasingly difficult.