Trump Commits to Addressing Concerns with Cuba at Regional Summit
President Trump signs a proclamation committing to countering cartel criminal activity at the Shield of the Americas Summit.
Rebecca Blackwell/AP
During the inaugural Shield of the Americas Summit held on Saturday, President Trump assured Latin American leaders that the U.S. will address issues related to Cuba. This statement comes as part of a broader initiative to strengthen U.S. influence in the region.
To the assembled leaders, Trump noted, “Many of you have come today and they say, ‘I hope you can take care of Cuba.’ Because you have problems with Cuba, right?” He continued, “I was surprised, but four of you said, actually, ‘Could you do us a favor?’ Take care of Cuba.’ I’ll take care of it, ok?” His comments were met with applause.
The summit, hosted at the Trump National Doral Miami golf course, included representatives from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, and Trinidad and Tobago.
This engagement follows ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Cuba, with many Cuban-Americans advocating for political change in the island nation.
Recently, the Trump administration has permitted limited Venezuelan oil sales to Cuba, addressing severe fuel shortages and power outages affecting millions, as reported by The Associated Press.
The arrest of Venezuela’s former president, Nicolás Maduro, in January has encouraged those seeking regime change in Cuba to view Trump’s foreign policy as potentially supportive of their cause.
Trump praised Venezuela’s acting-President Delcy Rodríguez for her cooperation, stating, “She’s doing a great job because she’s working with us. If she wasn’t working with us, I would not say she’s doing a great job. In fact, she wasn’t working with us, I’d say she’s doing a very poor job, unacceptable, but she’s doing a great job,” he remarked.
With U.S. support, Venezuela’s economic conditions have improved due to American oil exports and anticipated gold and mineral trades. Trump has also described Venezuela’s transition as a model for regime changes.
This article was originally written by www.npr.org
