Trump Moves to Cut Cuba Oil Supplies   02/02 06:04

   President Donald Trump said the United States was beginning to talk with 
Cuban leaders as his administration puts greater pressure on the communist-run 
island and cuts off key oil supplies.

   ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (AP) -- President Donald Trump said the United States 
was beginning to talk with Cuban leaders as his administration puts greater 
pressure on the communist-run island and cuts off key oil supplies.

   He made the comment to reporters on Saturday night as he was flying to 
Florida. It comes in the wake of his moves in recent weeks to cut off supplies 
of oil from Venezuela and Mexico, which he suggested Saturday would force Cuba 
to the negotiating table.

   His goals with Cuba remain unclear, but Trump has turned more of his 
attention toward the island after his administration in early January captured 
Venezuela's then-President Nicols Maduro and has been more aggressive in 
confronting nations that are adversaries of the U.S.

   Trump has predicted that the Cuban government is ready to fall.

   The Republican president did not offer any details on Saturday about what 
level of outreach his administration has had with Cuba recently or when, but 
simply said, "We're starting to talk to Cuba."

   His recent moves to cut off its oil supplies have squeezed the island.

   This past week, Trump signed an executive order to impose a tariff on any 
goods from countries that sell or provide oil to Cuba. The move put pressure on 
Mexico, which Cuba became dependent on for oil after Trump halted oil shipments 
from Venezuela in the wake of Maduro's ouster.

   Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum warned that it could cause a 
humanitarian crisis. She said on Friday that she would seek alternatives to 
continue helping Cuba.

   "It doesn't have to be a humanitarian crisis. I think they probably would 
come to us and want to make a deal," Trump said Saturday. "So Cuba would be 
free again."

   He predicted they would make some sort of deal with Cuba and said, "I think, 
you know, we'll be kind."