Trump Dismisses Talks With Mexico Over Oil Shipments To Mexico: 'Going To Cease'

President Donald Trump dismissed diplomatic talks with Mexico over the country's intention to continue sending oil to Cuba as humanitarian aid as Havana's economy teeters on the brink of collapse.

Speaking to press at the Oval Office, Trump said Cuban leaders are "not getting any money from Venezuela and they're not getting any money from anywhere."

"It's a failed nation. Mexico is going to cease sending them oil so I'd like to take care of the people from Cuba. we have many people who came from Cuba, who fled and went through shark infested waters. Many would like to go back. We're dealing with the Cuban leaders right now," Trump added.

The remark about Mexico took place shortly after Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said the country will send humanitarian aid to the island but "everything regarding oil shipments due to humanitarian reasons will be solved through diplomatic means."

She went on to say that the country is "searching all diplomatic channels" to send oil to the beleaguered Caribbean country, "but we'll send other products that are indispensable for the Cuban people."

Trump had also rejected that an end to oil shipments will cause a humanitarian crisis in Cuba, saying it doesn't have to reach that point if the Havana regime strikes a deal with him.

"I think they'll probably come to us and want to make a deal. So Cuba will be free again. They'll come to us and make a deal. Cuba really has a problem. I know a lot of people from Cuba. We have a lot of people in the U.S. right now who would like to go back to Cuba. We'd like to work that out," Trump said during the weekend while speaking to press aboard the Air Force One during the weekend.

Tensions run high in the region as a report from the Financial Times last week claimed that the country has less than a month worth of oil at current levels of demand and domestic production.

Citing data company Kpler, the outlet noted that the country has oil to last 15 to 20 days unless deliveries resume. "They have a major crisis on their hands" Jorge Piñon, an oil expert at the University of Texas told the outlet.

The country has only received less than 85,000 barrels this year, according to the FT. All came from a shipment on January 9, Kpler detailed. The figure adds to an estimated 460,000 barrels held in inventories at the beginning of the year.

Originally published on Latin Times

Tags

Cuba, Donald Trump, Mexico