"How the mighty have fallen" is a phrase that could be aptly used in describing former Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, who was only recently mimicking Trump’s signature dance moves and acting as if he were untouchable. Now he sits behind bars in New York City.
So too has the once-proud country of Cuba fallen mightily over the last century. Once a thriving island renowned for its beauty and vibrant people, it has, after 67 years of Communist rule, become a stuck-in-time shell of its former self, with rampant poverty, frequent blackouts, and pervasive political oppression.
But it’s about to get even worse for the Pearl of the Antilles. Can Cuba survive without Maduro’s oil? It won’t be easy.
The Trump administration has warned outright that toppling Maduro will help advance another decades-long goal: dealing a blow to the Cuban government.
Severing Cuba from Venezuela could have disastrous consequences for its leaders, who on Saturday called for the international community to stand up to "state terrorism."
On Saturday, Trump said the ailing Cuban economy will be further battered by Maduro's ouster.
"It's going down," Trump said of Cuba. "It's going down for the count."
President Trump: “Cuba now has no income. They got all of their income from Venezuela, from the Venezuelan oil, they’re not getting any of that now. Cuba is literally ready to fall, and you have a lot of great Cuban-Americans who are going to be very happy about this.” pic.twitter.com/kA6Y1zq9xU
— Tommy Robinson 🇬🇧 (@TRobinsonNewEra) January 5, 2026
Turns out, Venezuela and Cuba had even closer ties than some realized. The island nation claims that 32 of its soldiers were killed in Absolute Resolve, the U.S operation to remove Maduro. Why would the despot need 32 foreign nationals to protect him?
Cuban officials on Monday lowered flags before dawn to mourn 32 security officers they say were killed in the U.S. weekend strike in Venezuela, the island nation's closest ally, as residents here wonder what the capture of President Nicolas Maduro means for their future.
The two governments are so close that Cuban soldiers and security agents were often the Venezuelan president's bodyguards, and Venezuela's petroleum has kept the economically ailing island limping along for years.
READ MORE: How Long Would It Take for Venezuela to Bounce Back From Socialism? Wall St. Analyst Has Thoughts
Trump Teases Further Military Action on South American Narco-States: ‘Sounds Good to Me’
The bottom line: Cuba will be in a world of hurt if Venezuela's oil shipments stop.
For decades, Venezuela provided the communist-run island with the bulk of its fuel and financing in exchange for Cuban doctors, teachers and security personnel. Without those programs, the island’s already devastating energy woes will worsen and its shortages of food, medicine and basic goods will become even more pronounced.
“They’ve been left without a godfather, a benefactor that has been paying their bills, and they’re totally bankrupt,” said Emilio Morales, president of the Miami-based Havana Consulting Group. “How are they going to survive?”
"Rugged Individualism" vs "Warmth of Collectivism" (Havana, Cuba). pic.twitter.com/6DcGLxTOts
— Christian 🇺🇲🇮🇱 (@ChristianCamara) January 2, 2026
The failed Communist experiment of a country has already been feeling the pain since the Trump administration started seizing oil tankers in December. According to reports, garbage regularly goes uncollected, grocery store shelves are empty, and the rate of mosquito-borne diseases is on the rise.
Not to mention the blackouts.
Unless some big game-changer comes along, things only look to get worse for the Cuban people as long as this regime stays in power. Perhaps, though, if things go well, President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, will achieve more than just the removal of Maduro with Operation Absolute Resolve: in a perfect world, this would mark the beginning of the end of the infection that the late Fidel Castro let loose only 90 miles off our shores all those years ago.
A free Cuba. It’s almost an unimaginable dream. Or is it?
Rubio realizing he’s going to be president of Venezuela, governor of Cuba, and the Shah of Iran. pic.twitter.com/wh5S2gpIi9
— Antonio García Martínez (agm.eth) (@antoniogm) January 3, 2026
Editor’s Note: Thanks to President Trump and his administration’s bold leadership, we are respected on the world stage, and our enemies are being put on notice.
Help us continue to report on the administration’s peace through strength foreign policy and its successes. Join RedState's VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member