Russia Readies New Oil Shipment To Cuba After Trump Doesn’t Enforce Blockade On First One
Russia is preparing a new oil shipment to Cuba after President Donald Trump didn’t enforce a blockade on one earlier this week.
“A Russian ship went through the blockade. Now a second one is being loaded up. We won’t abandon the Cuban people,” said Energy Minister Serguei Tsiviliov during an even in the province of Kazan this week.
He went on to detail that the decision was made following a meeting with Cuban counterparts in St. Petersburg.
Trump said on Sunday that he didn’t mind Cuba getting the initial shipment because they “need to survive.” “If a country wants to send some oil into Cuba right now, I have no problem whether it’s Russia or not,” Trump added, saying that the country is “finished.” “Whether or not they get a boat of oil, it’s not going to matter.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio then rejected claims about the U.S. taking “punitive” action against the Caribbean country, saying the only change is that Havana is “not getting free Venezuelan oil anymore,” in reference to the capture of Nicolas Maduro and the interim government’s shift towards a friendlier policy towards the U.S.
However, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez slammed Rubio over the remarks, listing several actions the Trump administration has taken towards Havana, claiming all of them amount to punitive action.
“What is the economic blockade, if not a punitive action? What is the threat against any country that exports fuels to Cuba, if not a punitive action? What is the financial persecution of Cuban transactions in any country, the restrictions imposed on merchant vessels touching Cuban ports and the ban on US citizens’ travels to Cuba, if not punitive actions?” he said in a social media publication.
“What is the purpose pursued by the selective and arbitrary lists, such as the list of State sponsors of terrorism, restricted entities and restricted accommodations? What are the abusive pressures exerted against Caribbean and Latin American governments that are forcing them to renounce their medical cooperation programs with Cuba with the intention of depriving the country of legitimate incomes, if not a purely punitive action?” he added.
