Cuba is set to lose access to one of its main suppliers of oil after the Trump administration captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro earlier this month.

The Trump administration is actively seeking regime change in Cuba and hopes to cut a deal to end communist rule on the island by the end of the year, according to a report. To facilitate the political transition,

The Trump administration is considering an oil blockade to pressure Cuba after Venezuela's collapse, debating whether cutting energy supplies could trigger regime change while raising humanitarian and regional stability concerns.

U.S. diplomats recently warned the public that the U.S. Embassy in Havana “is unable to address any issues” related to “forced departure” from Cuba.

By Simon Lewis and Dave Sherwood WASHINGTON/HAVANA, Jan 15 - The U.S. State Department's top aid official on Thursday said Cuba's authorities must not interfere with a shipment of humanitarian aid to its people and suggested President Donald Trump could take action if Cuba does not comply.

Cuba has responded to President Trump’s demand to cut a deal with the United States, saying, “No one dictates what we do.” “#Cuba is a free, independent, and sovereign nation. No one dictates what we do.

With Venezuela in the thrall of U.S. oil demands and Cuba confronting massive fuel shortages due to an American blockade, the two countries face a more uncertain future than at any time since becoming close allies at the start of the 21st century.

Following the capture of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro in an operation in which several Cuban security officers died protecting him, Donald Trump joined a long line of U.S. presidents who over the decades anticipated the collapse of Cuba’s communist government.