Sen. Rick Scott Critiques House Democrats Over Cuba Oil Discussions
Senator Rick Scott from Florida has taken aim at House Democratic leaders following Representative Pramila Jayapal’s recent admission of discussions with ambassadors from Mexico and other nations regarding oil supplies for Cuba.
During a press conference on Cuba on Tuesday, Jayapal discussed the executive order signed by former President Donald Trump in January, which declared a national emergency concerning threats posed by Cuba to the U.S. In a post on X, Scott responded to these remarks, characterizing the sanctions against nations supplying oil to Cuba, as well as the entities cooperating with Cuba, as an “economic bombardment of Cuba’s infrastructure.”
Scott expressed concern on social media, stating, “Disturbing: Rep. @Jeffries and @HouseDemocrats, members of your party have openly admitted to working with foreign countries to support communist enemies in violation of American sanctions. @POTUS established these sanctions to safeguard American citizens and hold the Castro/Díaz-Canel regime accountable for their actions.”
Jayapal elaborated that, “In January, President Trump issued an executive order threatening tariffs on any country that supplies fuel to Cuba.” She noted that, earlier this year, oil shipments from Venezuela to Cuba were halted in response to the U.S. actions against Nicolás Maduro.
She continued, indicating that “only one Russian oil tanker has reached Cuba since January,” emphasizing that this ship carries oil sufficient for only 10 to 14 days of Cuba’s needs.
Describing the situation as a severe crisis, Jayapal remarked, “Just last Friday, May 1, President Trump signed a broad executive order that expands sanctions on foreign banks and companies collaborating with Cuba, along with instituting new penalties similar to those imposed on Iran and Russia. This action also intensifies the U.S. tourism ban. I view these sanctions as an economic bombardment of Cuba’s infrastructure.”
In January, President Trump declared that no more oil or gold would be sent to Cuba, as part of a campaign to maximize pressure on Cuba’s communist regime and mitigate its adverse impacts.
