US Intensifies Pressure on Cuba

(MENAFN) The Trump administration, emboldened by the removal of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, is seeking partners within Cuba’s ruling structure who might assist in brokering an end to Communist governance before the year concludes, according to a media outlet.

American officials contend that Cuba’s economy is on the verge of collapse and that the leadership is unusually exposed after losing vital backing from Venezuela, the report indicated.

Although no comprehensive blueprint exists to dismantle the system, authorities view Maduro’s detention and the subsequent concessions as both an example and a cautionary tale for Havana, the article added.

“I strongly suggest they make a deal. Before it's too late,” US President Donald Trump declared in a Jan. 11 social-media statement, emphasizing that “no more oil or money” would be directed to Cuba.

Officials have engaged with Cuban exile organizations in Miami and Washington to pinpoint figures inside the Cuban administration who may be open to dialogue, according to the report.

The mission that led to Maduro’s capture was allegedly supported by an insider, and a US military strike in Caracas resulted in the deaths of 32 Cuban troops and intelligence agents safeguarding him, it noted.

While Washington has not explicitly threatened armed intervention against Cuba, officials maintain that the Venezuelan raid was intended to demonstrate the possible repercussions of resistance, the report said.

Intelligence evaluations portray Cuba’s economy as bleak, marked by scarcities of consumer goods, medical supplies, and electricity. The US intends to further undermine the government by halting Venezuelan oil shipments and targeting Cuba’s international medical programs, its primary source of foreign currency.

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