new delhi, JAN 11
Days after American forces carried out a dramatic military operation in Venezuela, US President Donald Trump on Sunday issued a direct warning to Cuba, saying the country should “make a deal before it’s too late.”
In a lengthy post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump claimed that Cuba had been surviving on large amounts of oil and money from Venezuela and, in return, had provided “security services” to Venezuelan “dictators.”
“BUT NOT ANYMORE!” Trump wrote, declaring, “THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA — ZERO!”
The US President further added, “I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.”
He also asserted that Venezuela would no longer need “protection services” from what he described as thugs and extortionists who had held the country hostage for many years.
“Venezuela now has the United States of America — the most powerful military in the world (by far!) — to protect them, and protect them we will,” he added.
Later, when a user suggested that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will be the President of Cuba, Trump responded: “Sounds good to me.” His remarks came days after the US launched a military operation in Venezuela and captured the country’s sitting President, Nicolás Maduro, along with his wife, Cilia Flores, from their Caracas safe house.
The two were subsequently flown to the United States, where they are facing multiple charges, including drug trafficking and narco-terrorism. Following the operation, Trump warned several other countries, including Colombia, of similar action if they failed to make a deal with him.
He also turned his attention to Greenland, an island controlled by NATO ally Denmark. Although European leaders have denounced his remarks that the “US needs Greenland,” Washington is believed to be considering options to take control of the autonomous region.
