Trump threatens Cuba amid Venezuelan military uprising

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Tuesday to impose an embargo and sanctions on Cuba amid a military uprising aimed at ousting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

"If Cuban Troops and Militia do not immediately CEASE military and other operations for the purpose of causing death and destruction to the Constitution of Venezuela, a full and complete embargo, together with highest-level sanctions, will be placed on the island of Cuba," Trump said on Twitter.

His warning came after Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido released a video in which he could be seen alongside a small contingent of uniformed military personnel and armored vehicles calling for an uprising to end the "usurpation" of Maduro.

He stressed that it was the beginning of the final phase of the "Operacion Libertad", or Operation Liberty, to oust Maduro.

"The National Armed Forces have made the correct decision. They have the support of the Venezuelan people," Guaido said.

Venezuela has been rocked by mass demonstrations since Jan. 10, when Maduro was sworn in for a second term following a vote boycotted by the opposition.

Tensions escalated when Guaido, who heads Venezuela’s National Assembly, declared himself acting president on Jan. 23, a move which was supported by the U.S. and many European and Latin American countries.

"Hopefully, all Cuban soldiers will promptly and peacefully return to their island!" said Trump.

Venezuela has been in the throes of humanitarian and economic crises amid the political deadlock between Guaido and Maduro as Washington has ramped up diplomatic and economic pressure on the Venezuelan president, including sanctioning his state-run oil company, in a bid to get him to relinquish power.

Shortly after his top officials said the U.S. fully supports the effort being led by Guaido, Trump said he was monitoring the situation in Venezuela "very closely" and the U.S. stands with the Venezuelan people.

Cuba and Bolivia said they are with the Venezuelan government against the coup attempt.