Representative Greg Steube (R-FL) discussed the possibility of the United States blockading Cuba to force the collapse of its longstanding Communist regime in a recent appearance on Fox Business's Evening Edit.
Host Elizabeth MacDonald questioned if Mexico would be willing to cooperate with the United States on this goal. Rep. Steube posited that the U.S. would "given the bilateral relationship we have with them."
"You have seen the dire straits in Cuba because of the Venezuelan sanctions," Rep. Steube explained. "All of this sanctioned oil is operating illegally in international waters, so the United States has the ability, just like we have done with the Venezuelan oil tankers, to seize them. Even with those operations, you have seen the crippling of Cuba's economy. It is very grim there. I think more steps to curb any type of oil going into Cuba will have a devastating effect on their economy.
MacDonald quoted an anonymous official who told Politico that "energy is the chokehold to kill" the regime and thereby eliminate communism from the Western Hemisphere for good, asking the Florida congressman if it could happen in 2026.
"I certainly think it could," Steube answered, "because they rely so heavily on Venezuelan oil, and that is completely cut off. That is their form of income. It is sanctioned oil that they use. It is at a discount that they use to pay for their communist regime and their communist government in Cuba, so you could absolutely see in six months what the economy of Cuba looks like today. It is going to obviously be in much worse shape."
Steube believes that by the end of 2026, the Cuban government "will be in a position where, hopefully, the ruling class, the communist class, will give up, strike a deal with the United States, or decide to have a democratic, free election. That would be a great thing for the state of Cuba."
President Donald Trump previously called on the regime to "make a deal" shortly after the capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, writing on social media, "THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA - ZERO! I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE."
