'Trump knows what will happen if Cuba is provoked': Cuban Communist leader

"If Cuba is provoked, the United States knows very well what will follow. We will not tolerate an attack on our country the way Venezuela was attacked. Ours is a nation forged through sacrifice and struggle. No one can intimidate us," said Juan Carlos Marson, a leader of the Communist Party of Cuba (CPC).

Marson was in India at a time when the US President had threatened to cut off Venezuelan oil and financial support on which Cuba has depended for decades. He attended the concluding event of the CPI centenary celebrations in Khammam and also addressed the CPI National Council meeting on January 19, conveying a message of solidarity.

Questioning US President Donald Trump’s attempts to dictate terms to Cuba by insisting that it should "enter into an agreement" with Washington, Marson asked whether Trump considered himself the ruler of the world.

Marson in India

In an interview with The Federal at Khammam, he spoke at length on several issues, including global politics, the US attack on Venezuela, and its aftermath.

'Maduro is our ally'

When Nicolás Maduro was the President of Venezuela, the United States carried out what Marson described as a criminal attack and abducted him. He termed the act a major terrorist action. Maduro, he said, was a leader elected by the people of Venezuela in the 2024 elections, and his kidnapping was strongly condemned by countries across the world.

Also Read: 'We will bring Maduro back’: Venezuela ruling party leader in India

Various allegations are being made against Maduro, Marson said, but Cuba does not recognise them. He demanded that the United States release Maduro and said Cuba would do everything possible on international platforms to secure his release.

Situation in Venezuela

According to Marson, a new ruling dispensation has been installed in Venezuela under Trump’s instructions. Peace has not returned to the country, he said, adding that the Venezuelan people do not accept this new administration. Cuba, too, does not recognise it.

International legal principles must be respected, he said, stressing that Venezuela cannot be forced to act according to Washington’s dictates. The Venezuelan people are resisting and will decide their own future. Cuba, he said, fully supports the right of the Venezuelan people to make their own decisions.

Opposition leader Machado

María Corina Machado, who lost the 2024 presidential election, is now leading protests against the Maduro government, Marson said. He accused her of appealing to the United States to make her President.

Also Read: Trump describes himself as 'Acting President of Venezuela' in Truth Social post

A person who failed to establish peace in her own country was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, he remarked sarcastically, adding that it now appeared she had effectively mortgaged that prize to the United States.

Cuba-Venezuela relations

Marson said Cuba’s relationship with Venezuela is not new and dates back to the time of Hugo Chávez. The ties between the two countries, he said, are those that normally exist between two sovereign nations.

Cuba imports oil from Venezuela and, in return, provides technical and security cooperation. This partnership, he said, is a key aspect of their relationship and is something the United States finds unacceptable. Cuba, he added, acts as a check on US influence in the region.

Since Maduro’s abduction, the US has further intensified sanctions against Cuba, Marson said.

(This article was originally published in The Federal Andhra Pradesh)