Venezuela condemns US sanctions on Cuba: a new escalation
In a strongly worded official statement issued on Friday, the Venezuelan government categorically condemned what it called "punitive" US measures targeting its strategic ally, Cuba. This stance came in response to threats from Washington to impose tariffs and economic sanctions on countries and entities involved in securing oil shipments to Havana, a new escalation in the maximum pressure campaign pursued by the administration of former US President Donald Trump.
Diplomatic escalation and rejection of hegemony
The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry deemed the executive order signed by President Donald Trump a blatant violation of international law, describing it as "illegitimate punitive measures against sovereign states that choose to maintain normal and legitimate trade relations with the Republic of Cuba." The statement asserted that these actions are part of Washington's attempts to impose a suffocating economic blockade aimed at destabilizing political systems in Latin America that do not align with US policy.
Background of the strategic alliance between Caracas and Havana
To understand the depth of this situation, one must consider the historical context of the relationship between the two countries. Venezuela and Cuba are bound by a close strategic alliance, established during the presidencies of the late Hugo Chávez and Fidel Castro. Under the Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement signed in 2000, Venezuela supplies Cuba with thousands of barrels of oil daily at preferential prices, in exchange for Caracas receiving medical, sports, and educational services from thousands of Cuban experts. The United States views this oil lifeline as a key enabler of the Cuban regime's survival, making targeting oil tankers a priority in US strategy.
The repercussions of the blockade and Venezuelan solidarity
In a related development, Venezuela reiterated its unwavering solidarity with the Cuban people in the face of what it termed "imperialist aggression." The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry stated that the government, which has faced immense US pressure and attempts at regime change, is fully aware of the scale of human suffering caused by these sanctions. Caracas called on the international community to "take urgent and effective collective action to address the humanitarian consequences of such attacks," warning that the use of economics as a weapon of war threatens international peace and security.
These developments come at a time when the region is experiencing sharp polarization, as the US administration at the time sought to activate old legal provisions (such as the Helms-Burton Act) to tighten the financial noose around Cuba, in conjunction with imposing harsh sanctions on the Venezuelan oil sector, which prompted the two countries to strengthen their cooperation and search for international alternatives to break the siege imposed on them.
