The attack followed a naval blockade that led to the U.S. illegally interdicting ships transporting oil from Venezuela to countries, including Cuba. It has been exacerbated by an executive order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump on January 29, which threatens punitive tariffs on any country selling oil to Cuba. The Venezuelan oil that flowed to Cuba, under the oil-for-doctors scheme instituted by former Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, was a major lifeline for the nation and its primary source of imported oil. By 2025, after Mr. Trump returned to power, oil imports had shrunk drastically. Venezuela still supplied an average of 46,500 barrels of oil per day to Cuba in December 2025, before this dropped to zero following Mr. Maduro’s abduction.

Source: The Hindu February 04, 2026 13:09 UTC