Trump appeared to hint at a potential military operation in Cuba after US forces “finish the job” in Iran. The comments come as Washington announced a set of new sanctions targeting the island nation on Friday, which Havana slammed as a form of collective punishment.

US President Donald Trump joked on Friday that his country’s Navy would take on Cuba on the way home from Iran.

His comments came as he addressed attendees of an event at the non-profit Forum Club of the Palm Beaches, where he was invited as a keynote speaker.

Trump said that his military will be “taking over (Cuba) almost immediately,” raising concerns that the US may be entangled in yet another military conflict this year.

“Now Cuba’s got problems. We’ll finish one first. I like to finish a job. On the way back from what we’ll do… on the way back from Iran, we’ll have one of our big, maybe the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier – the biggest in the world, will have that come in. Stop about 100 yards offshore, and they’ll say, ‘thank you very much. We give up’,” added Trump.

Trump has suggested that military operations in Cuba are on the table for months as his administration continued to attack leadership in Havana following Washington’s stunning intervention in Venezuela in January, which toppled and captured President Nicolas Maduro.

Trump had accused Cuba of providing security personnel to protect Maduro’s alleged drug-trafficking operations in exchange for money and oil, both of which he had cut off following the 3 January operation.

The island nation has since been grappling with dire oil shortages which have shut down many sectors across the country and ground national healthcare services to a halt. The UN warned several times that a humanitarian crisis was unfolding in Cuba as a result of the US oil embargoes.

On Friday, Trump ordered new sanctions against Havana, targeting a broad set of people in the communist-run country and threatening foreign banks that work with them.

In an executive order, Trump said he would impose sanctions on people involved in sweeping sections of the Cuban economy, which is steered by the government. (EuroNews)

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The ‘Jana Aragalaya Sandhanaya’  (People’s Struggle movement) has launched a program in Galle to collect aid for the Cuban people, who are facing hardships due to sanctions imposed by the United States.

Organizers said the assistance gathered through the initiative will be handed over to the Cuban Embassy in Sri Lanka.

The movement stressed that the program is intended to show solidarity with the Cuban people during this period of economic strain. (Newswire)

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Which airlines have suspended services to Cuba?

Two more Canadian airlines, Air Transat and WestJet, announced a halt in flights to Cuba.

Air Transat said it was canceling all flights to Cuba until at least April 30. This follows “the rapid developments of the past few hours and the announcement by Cuban authorities of an anticipated aviation fuel shortage at destination airports,” it said in a statement.

Cuba warned on Sunday that jet fuel will be unavailable at airports across the island beginning 10 February through 11 March.

WestJet announced an “orderly wind-down” of its services, adding it would begin sending empty planes to Cuba stocked with extra fuel to bring customers home.

These latest flight suspensions come after Air Canada said on Monday that it was stopping services to Cuba due to a lack of guaranteed fuel supply.

The airline said it will send empty flights to pick up and fly home about 3,000 customers in Cuba.

Similar crises have prompted carriers to refuel in nearby third countries including Panama, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic and the United States.

The fuel shortage is a further economic blow to the country that relies heavily on tourism.

Why doesn’t Cuba have oil and jet fuel?

Historically, Venezuela was the biggest supplier of oil and jet fuel to Cuba followed by Mexico.

Venezuela provided about one-third of the island’s daily needs in 2025.

But Cuba hasn’t received any crude or refined products from the South American country since mid-December when the US started blocking Venezuelan oil exports to the communist-run island.

This was even before US troops captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in early January. 

Mexico only ever shipped a fraction of the oil that came from Venezuela.

But Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on Monday that oil shipments to Cuba are “on hold”  following US President Donald Trump threats to impose tariffs on any country that provides oil to the Caribbean island.

Why has Germany issued a travel warning for Cuba?

Germany advised on Tuesday against all non-essential travel to Cuba

“Cuba is facing an acute energy crisis, which is also being compounded by widespread dilapidated energy infrastructure,” the German foreign ministry said in the advisory.

The country is facing “significant shortages in energy and fuel supplies, which are affecting all areas of life” including medical care, it said.

“Public transport, street lighting, traffic lights, cash machines, communication and security systems are already severely restricted or may fail,” it said.

How bad is Cuba’s energy crisis?

The oil shortages have threatened to plunge Cuba into complete darkness, with power plants struggling to keep the lights on.

The Cuban government has announced emergency measures, including a four-day working week for state-owned companies and fuel sale restrictions.

Cuban officials also announced Monday that bank hours have been reduced and cultural events suspended.

In the capital Havana, the public bus system has effectively ground to a halt, leaving residents stranded as endemic power outages and grueling fuel lines reach a breaking point. (DW)

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US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order that would slap additional tariffs on goods from countries that sell or provide oil to Cuba.

The order invokes the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and calls the Cuban government an “extraordinary threat” to US national security.

Cuba’s foreign minister condemned Trump’s executive order, calling it a “brutal act of aggression.”

The move could further aggravate an already deep energy crisis in the country.

The Caribbean island has experienced severe fuel shortages in recent years, impacting its power grid and causing widespread blackouts.

Trump cuts off Venezuelan oil to Cuba

Cuba has largely been under a US embargo since 1962.

“We denounce to the world this brutal act of aggression against Cuba and its people, who for more than 65 years have been subjected to the longest and cruelest economic blockade ever imposed on an entire nation and who are now guaranteed to be subjected to extreme living conditions,” Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez wrote on social media.

Cuba has relied heavily on shipments from allies like Venezuela, Mexico and Russia.

Supplies from Venezuela, however, have ceased since the US launched a military attack earlier this month and kidnapped President Nicolas Maduro.

Trump has said that no more Venezuelan oil will go to Cuba.

He also claimed that the Cuban government is ready to collapse.

Order puts pressure on Mexico

The latest order is likely to put pressure on Mexico, which remains one of the few countries supplying energy to Cuba.

In its most recent report, Mexico’s state-owned oil company Pemex said it shipped nearly 20,000 barrels of oil per day to Cuba from January through September 30, 2025.

But experts who track crude shipments say the figure is likely to have fallen to about 7,000 barrels a day.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has been vague about where her country stood on the issue.

Earlier this week, she denied reports she had stopped oil shipments to Havana.

Sheinbaum, who has sought to forge a strong relationship with Trump, has said that Mexico would continue to show solidarity with Cuba, but didn’t clarify what kind of support Mexico would offer. (DW)

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The National Freedom Front (NFF) has raised objections to the inclusion of Cuba into the US State Department’s list of states that support terrorism, which was published recently (May 16).

NFF Leader MP Wimal Weerawansa pointed out that the inclusion of Iraq, Libya, South Yemen and Syria in the past has revealed the fate of states that end up on the list.

He further said not only countries that value democracy and human rights but all nations of the world must condemn the outcome for these countries. 

“This is a trend that must be defeated and countries that are friendly towards the Cuban state are protesting the decision taken by the US State Department and all others must join in too.

“Sri Lanka as a state that has been a traditional friend of Cuba and our political party join the rest of the nation’s supporting Cuba against the inclusion of Cuba into the US State Department “State Sponsor of Terrorism list,” the MP added.

In a letter addressed to US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung, NFF Leader MP Wimal Weerawansa expressed his objection to the inclusion of Cuba in the US list of states that support terrorism. 

Full statement:

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Sri Lanka has offered to provide assistance for coconut cultivation in Cuba, during a meeting between Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and Cuban Ambassador Andres Marcelo Gonzales Garrido at the Temple Trees in Colombo on Thursday (Dec 14).

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Prime Minister Gunawardena thanked Cuba for the consistent support extended to Sri Lanka at the United Nations and other international forums. 

He also referred to the assistance given to Sri Lanka to combat the Dengue pandemic and stressed the need for continuous cooperation in the field of medicine. The Ambassador agreed to share Cuban expertise in mosquito eradication with Sri Lankan health authorities.

The Prime Minister emphasized the need to exchange new scientific and technological innovations in the agricultural sector between the two countries.

The Ambassador said that he was happy with the successful experiments carried out by the Sri Lankan Coconut Research Center and mentioned that he is working to get coconut saplings for cultivation in his country. 

The Prime Minister assured the Ambassador that a donation of 200 coconut seeds will be made to Cuba shortly. The Coconut Research Institute of Sri Lanka will also provide expertise to Cuba to develop its coconut industry.

The ambassador further stated that there is scope to develop cooperation in food production, farming and animal husbandry sectors in Sri Lanka.

MP Yadamini Gunawardena, Secretary to the Prime Minister, Anura Dissanayake, and First Secretary of the Cuban Embassy, Maribel Duarte Gonzalez also participated in the discussion. (NewsWire)

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President Ranil Wickremesinghe engaged in bilateral discussions with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermudez, reinforcing the bonds of friendship and dialogue between the two nations.

The President who is currently in Cuba, engaged in the discussion ahead of his participation in the G77 plus China Summit in Havana on September 15-16, hosted by Cuba as the current Chair of the G77 plus China. 

According to the President’s Media Division (PMD), during his visit, President Wickremesinghe’s arrival in Cuba was marked by a warm welcome, as he received a Guard of Honour at the Palace of Revolution. 

President Díaz-Canel Bermudez expressed Cuba’s appreciation for the visit, emphasising its significance during these challenging times globally. He praised Sri Lanka’s commitment to friendship with Cuba and to the vital role played by the G77 and China in representing the global South.

In their discussions, President Wickremesinghe recalled the history of bilateral cooperation between Sri Lanka and Cuba, particularly in multilateral forums. Both nations have supported each other on issues like lifting sanctions against Cuba and human rights matters. They identified areas of future cooperation, including public health, agriculture and sports.

President Díaz-Canel accepted President Wickremesinghe’s invitation to visit Sri Lanka in 2024, underscoring Cuba’s continued support for Sri Lanka. He also highlighted Cuba’s role in addressing North-South gaps in Science, Technology and Innovation, expressing willingness to share expertise, particularly in vaccine development.

The two leaders emphasised the importance of bolstering the relationship between their countries, focusing on collaboration in medicine, healthcare, sports training and coconut cultivation. President Wickremesinghe expressed Sri Lanka’s commitment to supporting Cuba in international forums, while President Díaz-Canel assured support for Sri Lanka regarding human rights resolutions.

The PMD stated that this meeting represents a significant step forward in strengthening diplomatic ties between Sri Lanka and Cuba, with far-reaching implications for both nations and the broader global community. 

President Wickremesinghe was accompanied by key officials, including Secretary of Foreign Affairs Ms. Aruni Wijewardane, the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Cuba Lakshitha Ratnayake, the Director General of the United Nations and Multilateral Affairs Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rekha Gunasekera and Private Secretary to the President Sandra Perera. (NewsWire)

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President Ranil Wickremesinghe left for Cuba today to attend the Summit of the Group of 77 (G77) plus China.

President Wickremesinghe is set to address the summit after being invited by the present Chairman of the summit, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel.

The Summit will be held under the central theme ‘Current challenges of development: Role of science, technology and innovation’ on September 15 and 16 in the Cuban capital, Havana.

The President has appointed several acting ministers to oversee the ministries under his purview during his overseas engagement.

According to the President’s Media Division (PMD), the Acting Ministers are as follows:

• State Minister Kanaka Herath – Acting Minister of Technology & Investment Promotion
• State Minister Anupa Pazqual – Acting Minister of Women Children & Social Service
• State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya – Acting Minister of Finance
• State Minister Premitha Bandara Tennakoon – Acting Minister of Defence. (NewsWire)

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There was a time when International Workers’ Day was marked in Cuba by parades involving more than a million people marching through Havana’s Revolution Square. Many came out of conviction, some because they were pressured, others to enjoy the party.

This Monday, however, the square will be empty, after the Cuban Communist party cancelled this year’s celebrations due to gasoline shortages that are crippling the island’s economy.

For weeks, motorists have been sleeping in their cars outside petrol stations in queues that stretch for miles and last for days.

President Miguel Díaz-Canel has said the island is only receiving two-thirds of the petrol it needs, and that the shortfall is due to supplier nations failing to fulfil their contractual agreements.

Jorge Piñon, director of the University of Texas at Austin’s Latin America and Caribbean energy and environment program, said this was an allusion to Venezuela. The two socialist nations have had a barter agreement since 2000: Cuba sends Venezuela doctors, teachers and – allegedly – counterintelligence agents in exchange for shipments of crude. That deal is now being strained.

“For the last two decades Venezuela has been losing that revenue by not selling that oil on the international market,” Piñon said. “I think they’ve just come to a point where they can no longer continue to provide cash-free oil to the Cubans.”

Venezuela’s exports to Cuba have dropped by about 50% over the past decade as overall oil production has decreased due to corruption, mismanagement and sanctions. But the war in Ukraine has brought a new dynamic into play.

Hungry for crude after sanctioning Russian oil and gas, Washington last November issued Chevron a license to export Venezuelan petroleum to the US for the first time in years.

This has put Cuba in a quandary: the island has plenty of crude, but it is of low quality and the island’s refineries are unable to process it. Venezuela’s higher-quality crude, it seems, is now going to the US.

Cash-crunched Cuba struggles to buy fuel, or even diluents which could be used to refine high-sulphur crude into gasoline, on the international market.

“Maximum pressure” sanctions, imposed by the Trump administration and mostly left in place by President Biden, play into this, knocking billions of dollars a year off state foreign currency earnings, penalising oil tankers that dock at the island and cutting credit lines.

Economists warn that if the situation persists, food prices will rise and productivity will fall even lower. This year’s sugar harvest is set to be the worst in over a century after diesel shortages have prevented cane getting to refineries.

Despite the malaise, Ulises Guilarte de Nacimiento, the head of the Workers’ Central Union of Cuba, said on Tuesday that workers’ day won’t be completely cancelled. Celebrations in local communities, schools and workplaces will go ahead, under conditions of “maximum austerity”, he said.

William LeoGrande, professor of government at American University in Washington DC, who has written extensively about Cuban politics, said that turnout for the May Day parade has gradually diminished over the years as the huge excitement and hope about the social changes the revolution brought about in the 1960s and 1970s has been largely replaced by disappointment about the hardship since the 1990s.

“Revolutionary spirit has dissipated,” he said. “And honestly life is so difficult in Cuba right now there’s not much to celebrate.”

Rogelio Sanchez, 41, from a small town west of Havana, is more likely to spend the day waiting in line for fuel.

“We’ve spent four days looking for fuel,” he said. “I can’t bear this anymore.” (The Guardian)

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