Fear Grips Cubans After US Unseats Maduro In Venezuela, Amid Trump Threats

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Days after Nicolas Maduro was unseated by the United States, Cubans are now on high alert,“nervous and scared” amid the mourning for the 31 members of their security services killed in the American action. Among the deceased were colonels, lieutenants, majors and captains, and some reserve soldiers.

Recently, President Donald Trump had remarked that Cuba“looks ready to fall” as he mentioned that a Venezuela-like US action in the island nation seemed unnecessary.

“Cuba is ready to fall. Cuba now has no income. They got all of their income from Venezuela, from the Venezuelan oil. They're not getting any of it. Cuba literally is ready to fall,” Trump said.

Marco Rubio also said that“if I lived in Havana and I was in the government, I'd be concerned at least a little bit.”

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The relationship between the US and Cuba deteriorated after Fidel Castro unseated the America-backed Fulgencio Batista government and aligned with the Soviet Union.

For years, Havana has provided bodyguards, operatives and analysts to protect the president of Venezuela, working like a parallel secret service and bolstering intelligence operations. In exchange, Venezuela has been sending heavily discounted fuel, some of it used to generate electricity, that supplies about a third of the island's needs.

With the Maduro government gone, the US may end the oil shipments to Cuba.

In the cities of Las Tunas, Matanzas and Havana, locals said police and military presence was higher than normal and the atmosphere was tense.

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Bloomberg quoted Taimir García as saying that there are whispers on the streets of Las Tunas, central Cuba, that something similar could happen on the island.

“People are scared and nervous, but hopeful,” said Taimir García, adding,“There's people who are wondering if Cuba will be free, too.”

If Washington does effectively sever Venezuela's energy and financial ties to the island, it's likely to lead to even more dire conditions. Locals describe the daily grind searching for affordable food while dealing with hours-long blackouts as exhausting.

“We're already living in the dark, but what little electricity we have comes from Venezuela,” said Emilio, who lives in Havana and asked not to be identified with his full name because he's worried criticism could affect the treatment of relatives who are in prison for political dissent.“It's us, the people, who are going to have to pay the bill.”

(With Bloomberg inputs)

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