US President Donald Trump proposed a “friendly takeover” of Cuba on Fridaywhile tensions are rising between Washington and Havana. TASR informs about it according to the report of the AFP agency.
The Trump administration imposed an oil embargo on Cuba after US forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a supporter of Havana. This brought the island nation to the brink of economic collapse. “They don’t have the finances, they don’t really have anything at the moment. But they are negotiating with us and there could be a friendly takeover of Cuba.” Trump told reporters on Friday as he left the White House. “The Cuban government is communicating with us and they are having really big problems,” he said.
The US imposed a trade embargo on Cuba shortly after Fidel Castro’s revolution in 1959. Relations have improved in recent years, but have deteriorated again since Trump’s second term as the head of the White House is trying to strengthen Washington’s influence in Latin America.
On Wednesday, there was a shootout between the crew of the motor boat, which was registered in the United States, and the Cuban coast guard. Four people in the boat were killed and six guards were injured. Molotov cocktails, assault rifles, handguns and other military equipment were found on the American vessel. According to the Home Office, the intruders were “attempting to infiltrate the country to carry out an act of terrorism”.
Havana says the boat was carrying ten Cubans living in the US. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Washington was not involved in the attack and will provide an “adequate response” after investigating the incident.
