Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., floated using a naval blockade to prevent Cuba from obtaining oil from Venezuela as he “wholeheartedly” backed President Trump’s suggestion of placing a full embargo on Cuba.
Scott, who argued Cuba is “the most powerful force propping up” Venezuela strongman Nicolás Maduro, said that sanctions imposed last month designed to bar the transfer of oil from Venezuela to Cuba have been unsuccessful and naval assets must be deployed to ensure the sanctions are enforced.
“It’s clear that the United States needs to consider using naval assets to block the flow of oil between the two dictatorships,” Scott said in a statement Wednesday. “The President has floated the idea of a full embargo on Cuba. I agree with him wholeheartedly. We need to take action NOW to capitalize on Maduro’s weakness and end his brutal regime. Cut off Cuba, and you cut off the political forces supporting genocide in Venezuela.”
It’s clear the U.S. must consider naval assets to block the flow of oil between the dictatorships of #VZ & Cuba. @POTUS has floated the idea of a full embargo on Cuba. I agree wholeheartedly.
We need to take action NOW to capitalize on Maduro’s weakness & end his brutal regime. pic.twitter.com/JoqrTTQoCC
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) May 8, 2019
The U.S. and other allies have backed opposition leader Juan Guaidó as interim president, but his recent attempt to oust Maduro failed last week.
The Treasury Department announced sanctions against two shipping companies and one vessel that carried oil from Venezuela and Cuba in April. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has accused Cuba of benefiting from supporting the Maduro regime through “oil-for-repression schemes.”
According to Scott, the key to toppling the Maduro regime is halting the transfer of oil between the countries.
“Cutting off the supply of oil to the Castro regime would be the most effective action we can take to end the brutal regime of Nicolás Maduro,” Scott said.
Trump warned late last month that Cuba would face a “full and complete embargo” and high-level sanctions if it fails to stop military operations in Venezuela.
But Cuba has rejected accusations that it is involved in Venezuela, and Cuba’s Director General of U.S. Affairs Carlos Fernández de Cossío has told the Associated Press there are no Cuban troops in Venezuela and “Cuba does not participate in military operations nor in security operations in Venezuela.”
