President Trump says Cuba may or may not do a ‘friendly takeover’
President Donald Trump has said the United States may or may not take a “friendly takeover” of Cuba.
President Donald Trump said on Sunday, March 15, that the United States could soon reach a deal or take other action with Cuba, suggesting progress in the long-strained relationship could come quickly.
“Cuba wants a deal, too. We’ll either get a deal soon or do whatever we have to do,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One. “We’re talking to Cuba, but we’re going to do Iran before we do Cuba.”
The comments came as tensions between Washington and Havana remain high after years of sanctions, diplomatic tensions and disputes over migration and security, with regional allies and investors closely monitoring signs of a policy shift.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said on Friday, March 13, that he has begun talks with the United States as the country faces one of its deepest economic crises in decades.
“This meeting aims to find a solution to the bilateral differences between our two countries through dialogue,” Diaz-Canel said in a video broadcast on state television.
Diaz-Canel said he hoped the negotiations would move the longtime rivals “away from confrontation.”
The country’s economic crisis has been exacerbated by disruptions to imported oil, on which the island relies to operate its power plants and transportation network. Fuel shortages have forced authorities to implement rolling blackouts across the country and restrict some public services.
President Trump has made a series of statements in recent weeks that Cuba is on the brink of collapse or that he wants a deal with the United States. On Monday, March 9, he said Cuba could be the subject of a “friendly takeover,” before adding: “It may not be a friendly takeover.”
Despite the resumption of contacts, significant differences remain between the two governments. U.S. officials have indicated that any easing of pressure is likely to depend on political and economic concessions from Havana, while Cuban leaders insist that negotiations must respect Havana’s independence.
(Reporting by Jarrett Renshaw; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Michael Perry)
