The statements were made aboard Air Force One, in an informal conversation with journalists, marked by direct warnings to several governments in the region.

“Cuba looks like it's about to collapse. I don't know how they're going to be able to sustain themselves; they have no income from Venezuela, from Venezuelan oil,” Trump stated.

The president considered the situation on the island so delicate that military action or an operation similar to the one carried out in Venezuela would not be necessary. "I don't think we need any action. It looks like it's collapsing on its own," he added.

Trump also emphasized that his stance will be well received by sectors of the Cuban exile community in the United States. “Many Cuban-Americans are going to be very happy with us,” he said, reinforcing a message that often resonates with voters of Cuban origin in Florida.

Warnings to Colombia

In the same conversation with the media, Trump launched harsh accusations against the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, whom he called “sick” and accused of producing and selling cocaine to the United States.

“That's not going to be going on for a long time.” time,” he warned. When asked about the possibility of a US mission in Colombia similar to the one carried out in Venezuela, he replied: “That sounds good to me.”

For his part, Secretary of State Marco Rubio avoided detailing Washington's next steps regarding Cuba. In an interview with NBC News, he merely stated that “the Cuban government is a big problem” and emphasized that the United States is not “an admirer of the Cuban regime.” Trump's statements reinforce a climate of tension in Latin America, with Cuba and Colombia.

Deaths in Caracas and Cuba's Reaction

The US president also confirmed that numerous casualties occurred among the forces protecting the Venezuelan leader during the operation to capture Maduro, including Cuban agents. “Many Cubans died protecting Maduro,” Trump stated, adding that he regretted the deaths that occurred during the Delta Force special forces operation.

The Cuban government later confirmed that 32 Cuban citizens, including military personnel, died during the attack. Venezuelan sources cited by the New York Times indicated that at least 80 people died on the Venezuelan side, while Washington officials acknowledged that half a dozen US soldiers were wounded. Venezuelan authorities have not released official figures. Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez denounced that a large part of Maduro's security team was murdered "in cold blood," while Foreign Minister Yvan Gil accused the United States before CELAC of violating international humanitarian law by causing the deaths of civilians and military personnel who were not directly involved in hostilities.