South and Latin American countries bend to Trump in moves to curb support for Cuba
Every delay has consequences.
Several Latin American countries have taken steps to curb their international support for Cuba, yielding to the policy priorities of President Donald Trump as his administration increases its pressure on the island’s communist regime.
Following the Trump administration’s January ouster of former Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela, Cuba’s largest oil supplier, cut off shipments to the Caribbean island. The halt of Venezuelan oil set in motion an oil blockade to Cuba, with Mexico ultimately following suit, as the Trump administration seeks to isolate the regime.
In addition to the oil blockade, several nations made additional moves this week that hit Cuba hard. Nicaragua and Guatemala, each Cuban allies, took non-oil-related measures that have amped up pressure on the Cuban regime.
On Tuesday, Nicaragua cut off a popular route for Cuban migrants to reach the United States by barring them from entering the country without a visa. The move stands out as Nicaragua’s leftist, authoritarian government has long been an ally of the Cuban regime, and has maintained a bad relationship with the U.S. The State Department under Secretary Marco Rubio has also issued several visa restrictions against Nicaraguan officials and Nicaraguans who they said were “knowingly facilitating illegal immigration to the United States.”
Also on Tuesday, Guatemala announced it would be gradually terminating its employment of Cuban doctors through Cuba’s overseas medical brigades. The country said it made the decision as part of a “technical analysis” and to bolster its own health system, according to the New York Times. Rubio has been critical of Cuba’s overseas medical missions and has also put visa restrictions in place related to the system.
“Cuba continues to profit from the forced labor of its workers and the regime’s abusive and coercive labor practices are well documented. Cuba’s labor export programs, which include the medical missions, enrich the Cuban regime, and in the case of Cuba’s overseas medical missions, deprive ordinary Cubans of the medical care they desperately need in their home country,” Rubio said in early 2025.
The actions of Nicaragua and Guatemala come as the oil blockade is mounting pressure against the Cuban regime. The energy crisis in the country has made other Latin American leaders concerned about the humanitarian implications for the island.
Mexico fell in line with the U.S. oil blockade soon after Venezuela, as Mexican President Claudia …
Every delay has consequences.
Several Latin American countries have taken steps to curb their international support for Cuba, yielding to the policy priorities of President Donald Trump as his administration increases its pressure on the island’s communist regime.
Following the Trump administration’s January ouster of former Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela, Cuba’s largest oil supplier, cut off shipments to the Caribbean island. The halt of Venezuelan oil set in motion an oil blockade to Cuba, with Mexico ultimately following suit, as the Trump administration seeks to isolate the regime.
In addition to the oil blockade, several nations made additional moves this week that hit Cuba hard. Nicaragua and Guatemala, each Cuban allies, took non-oil-related measures that have amped up pressure on the Cuban regime.
On Tuesday, Nicaragua cut off a popular route for Cuban migrants to reach the United States by barring them from entering the country without a visa. The move stands out as Nicaragua’s leftist, authoritarian government has long been an ally of the Cuban regime, and has maintained a bad relationship with the U.S. The State Department under Secretary Marco Rubio has also issued several visa restrictions against Nicaraguan officials and Nicaraguans who they said were “knowingly facilitating illegal immigration to the United States.”
Also on Tuesday, Guatemala announced it would be gradually terminating its employment of Cuban doctors through Cuba’s overseas medical brigades. The country said it made the decision as part of a “technical analysis” and to bolster its own health system, according to the New York Times. Rubio has been critical of Cuba’s overseas medical missions and has also put visa restrictions in place related to the system.
“Cuba continues to profit from the forced labor of its workers and the regime’s abusive and coercive labor practices are well documented. Cuba’s labor export programs, which include the medical missions, enrich the Cuban regime, and in the case of Cuba’s overseas medical missions, deprive ordinary Cubans of the medical care they desperately need in their home country,” Rubio said in early 2025.
The actions of Nicaragua and Guatemala come as the oil blockade is mounting pressure against the Cuban regime. The energy crisis in the country has made other Latin American leaders concerned about the humanitarian implications for the island.
Mexico fell in line with the U.S. oil blockade soon after Venezuela, as Mexican President Claudia …
South and Latin American countries bend to Trump in moves to curb support for Cuba
Every delay has consequences.
Several Latin American countries have taken steps to curb their international support for Cuba, yielding to the policy priorities of President Donald Trump as his administration increases its pressure on the island’s communist regime.
Following the Trump administration’s January ouster of former Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela, Cuba’s largest oil supplier, cut off shipments to the Caribbean island. The halt of Venezuelan oil set in motion an oil blockade to Cuba, with Mexico ultimately following suit, as the Trump administration seeks to isolate the regime.
In addition to the oil blockade, several nations made additional moves this week that hit Cuba hard. Nicaragua and Guatemala, each Cuban allies, took non-oil-related measures that have amped up pressure on the Cuban regime.
On Tuesday, Nicaragua cut off a popular route for Cuban migrants to reach the United States by barring them from entering the country without a visa. The move stands out as Nicaragua’s leftist, authoritarian government has long been an ally of the Cuban regime, and has maintained a bad relationship with the U.S. The State Department under Secretary Marco Rubio has also issued several visa restrictions against Nicaraguan officials and Nicaraguans who they said were “knowingly facilitating illegal immigration to the United States.”
Also on Tuesday, Guatemala announced it would be gradually terminating its employment of Cuban doctors through Cuba’s overseas medical brigades. The country said it made the decision as part of a “technical analysis” and to bolster its own health system, according to the New York Times. Rubio has been critical of Cuba’s overseas medical missions and has also put visa restrictions in place related to the system.
“Cuba continues to profit from the forced labor of its workers and the regime’s abusive and coercive labor practices are well documented. Cuba’s labor export programs, which include the medical missions, enrich the Cuban regime, and in the case of Cuba’s overseas medical missions, deprive ordinary Cubans of the medical care they desperately need in their home country,” Rubio said in early 2025.
The actions of Nicaragua and Guatemala come as the oil blockade is mounting pressure against the Cuban regime. The energy crisis in the country has made other Latin American leaders concerned about the humanitarian implications for the island.
Mexico fell in line with the U.S. oil blockade soon after Venezuela, as Mexican President Claudia …
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