Trump: Cuba Can't Survive Without Venezuelan Oil Supply

JAKARTA - US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Cuba would not be able to survive without oil supplies from Venezuela.

"In total, Cuba depends on Venezuela, both for money and for oil. Cuba gives protection to Venezuela, and Venezuela gives money to Cuba through oil," Trump said in an interview with Fox News, reported by Sputnik, Friday, January 9.

Trump said the bilateral relationship between the two countries has now ended following the United States' operation in Venezuela.

"No, Cuba is completely dependent on Venezuela, both financially and in terms of oil," Trump said when asked if Cuba could survive without oil supplies from Venezuela.

Trump also mentioned that the United States received Venezuelan oil worth a total of 4 billion US dollars (about Rp67.4 trillion) in one day.

"The oil we take is worth 4 billion US dollars in one day, and that number will increase. We will rebuild it, all major oil companies will enter, they will earn a lot of profit, and Venezuela will get a part of the money," Trump said.

Previously, Trump said that the Venezuelan interim authorities would transfer 30 to 50 million barrels of oil to the United States.

He promised that the oil delivered by Caracas would be sold at market prices, with the proceeds of the sale said to benefit the Venezuelan people and the United States.

Previously on January 3, the United States launched a massive attack on Venezuela and arrested Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro along with his wife, Cilia Flores, and then brought them to New York.

Trump announced that Maduro and Flores would be tried for alleged involvement in "narcoterrorism" and considered a threat, including to the United States.

The Venezuelan government in Caracas has requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council regarding the US operation.

The Supreme Court of Venezuela then temporarily transferred the duties of the head of state to Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, who was officially inaugurated as interim president in front of the National Assembly on January 5.