WASHINGTON, Sept 26 (Reuters) – President Donald Trump predicted on Saturday that the US and Cuba will reach an agreement and that he does not think military action will be necessary.
“I would say that Cuba and us will make a deal. I don’t think we’ll need the military,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
The Trump administration has openly stated that its goal is to change Cuba’s government. A US-imposed oil blockade implemented earlier this year has put the country under severe strain as it contends with fuel shortages and blackouts exacerbated by failing infrastructure.
“We want to help Cuba,” Trump said before departing for Tennessee. “We want to open Cuba up to our people.”
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In an address to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Trump called Cuba a failed state and said “freedom will be coming” to the island nation. The Cuban delegation walked out of the hall during that speech.
Cuban foreign minister Bruno Rodriguez said at the UN later on Saturday that Cuba will always be open for dialogue with the United States. He did not reference Trump’s comments specifically.
“We are open to commercial and business relationships with US companies, just as we are with any other country,” said Rodriguez, while also strongly condemning a US trade embargo on Cuba.
The US has maintained the embargo on Cuba for more than 60 years and the Trump administration has been stepping up pressure after using the military in January to remove Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt, Katharine Jackson, and Leila Miller; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)