The president of the United States, Donald Trump, stated this Saturday that Cuba is going through "its final moments" under the current political system, but he assured that the country could undergo a profound transformation in the near future.
The statements were made during his speech at the Shield of the Americas Summit, held in Miami, Florida, where leaders from various countries on the continent gathered to discuss issues of regional security, drug trafficking, and military cooperation.
In a section of his speech dedicated to the situation in Latin America, Trump linked the crisis on the island to the collapse of the economic support it had received from Venezuela for years.
“Cuba is at the end of the line. They have no money. They have no oil. They have a poor philosophy and a bad regime,” stated the leader before the attending officials.
The U.S. president recalled that for years the Cuban regime relied on oil and resources sent by Caracas, but he assured that this relationship no longer supports the system on the island.
"They used to receive money and oil from Venezuela. Now they have none of that," he said.
Trump also stated that his administration is in talks with Havana. “They want to negotiate and are negotiating with Marco [Rubio] and me,” he affirmed, referring to the U.S. Secretary of State.
According to the leader, reaching an agreement with Cuba would not be complicated. “I believe an agreement with Cuba would be very easy,” he stated.
Trump also stated that the current political system on the island is coming to an end. "Cuba is in its final moments of existence as we know it today,” he declared.
However, he assured that the country's future could be different. "It will have a great new life," he said.
The president also noted that several leaders present at the summit asked him to address the situation in Cuba, reflecting regional concerns about the political, economic, and energy crisis facing the island.
What is the Shield of the Americas Summit and what are its objectives?
The Summit Shield of the Americas was held this Saturday at the Trump National Doral resort in Miami, Florida, bringing together the President of the United States with leaders from 12 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The meeting represents the first multilateral forum with heads of state from the region convened by the administration of President Donald Trump in his second term.
According to the White House, the goal of the event is to strengthen hemispheric cooperation to promote "freedom, security, and prosperity" on the continent.
The summit's agenda was structured around three main priorities: combating drug trafficking and criminal cartels, curbing irregular migration to the United States, and countering the growing influence of powers such as China, Russia, and Iran in the Western Hemisphere.
Among the participants were the presidents Javier Milei (Argentina), Nayib Bukele (El Salvador), Daniel Noboa (Ecuador), Santiago Peña (Paraguay), Rodrigo Chaves (Costa Rica), José Raúl Mulino (Panama), Xiomara Castro (Honduras), Luis Abinader (Dominican Republic), Mohamed Irfaan Ali (Guyana), and the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad-Bissessar. The elect president of Chile, José Antonio Kast, also attended and will assume office on March 11th.
On the part of the United States, in addition to Trump, participated the Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and the Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
The meeting is part of a new approach to regional diplomacy by Washington, focused on security cooperation with governments deemed strategic allies in the region.
Among the notable absences were Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia, three of the main trading partners of the United States in Latin America.
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