Trump Vows to Cut Off Venezuelan Oil and Money to Cuba

Former U.S. president Donald Trump publicly vowed to cut off Venezuelan oil and money flowing to Cuba after a reported U.S. operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro.

“United States President Donald Trump on Sunday issued a stark warning to Cuba, urging the island nation to strike a deal with the United States “before it is too late” and threatening to cut off all oil and financial support from Venezuela that Cuba has relied on for years”

ABP Live English

Posting on Truth Social, Trump warned Cuba to 'make a deal' and declared, 'THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA - ZERO!'.

ABP Live English

Several outlets noted he urged Havana to negotiate with Washington but gave no details of the demanded deal.

Shipping data and reporting also showed no Venezuelan cargoes bound for Cuba since the operation.

U.S. officials have discussed arrangements to supervise proceeds from some Venezuelan oil sales.

The threat followed a U.S. operation in Venezuela that multiple outlets reported had killed Cuban security personnel and led to the reported capture of Maduro, though casualty figures and details vary across reports.

Several mainstream sources citing Reuters and Cuban statements say 32 Cuban personnel were killed in the action, while other reports and quotes attributed to Venezuelan officials suggest higher numbers.

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

News organizations also noted that Venezuelan shipments to Cuba appear to have stopped since the operation, exacerbating Havana’s fuel shortfall.

Havana reacted with anger and defiance.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz‑Canel used forceful language rejecting U.S. pressure, saying Cuba is sovereign and ready to "defend the homeland to the last drop of blood."

Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez denied that Cuba is dependent on Venezuelan payments and stressed the country can import fuel from other suppliers.

Cuban officials framed Trump's statements as illegitimate U.S. interference and highlighted decades of sanctions as the real cause of the island’s economic woes.

Analysts and multiple news reports stressed the practical consequences: Cuba already faces severe shortages, blackouts, and medical and food constraints, and Venezuelan crude had been a major — if reduced — lifeline after years of subsidized shipments.

Ship-tracking and company filings show Venezuela exported roughly 26,500 barrels per day to Cuba last year, and Mexico’s state oil arm has become an important alternative supplier, with Pemex subsidiary deliveries averaging about 17,200 barrels per day in 2025, according to filings cited by EL PAÍS English.

CBS News

Observers warned that cutting remaining supplies could deepen humanitarian hardship and provoke unrest.

Reactions inside and outside the U.S. vary: some politicians and supporters praised the move as pressure on a hostile regime, while critics called it unlawful coercion and a risky return to heavy-handed diplomacy.

“Updated on: January 11, 2026 / 2:23 PM EST/ CBS News Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said Sunday that it's "quite likely" American companies will have an expanded presence in Venezuela's oil industry as the country moves on following theremoval of former President Nicolás Maduro”

CBS News

Media outlets disagree on next steps: some report talks about a roughly $2 billion, Treasury-supervised oil arrangement with Venezuela, while others emphasize shipping seizures and the immediate impact of halted Venezuelan cargoes.

CBS News

Authorities warned the security situation remains fluid, and reporting notes uncertainties and disputes over casualty counts, shipments, and deal claims.