UPDATE 2-Trump threatens tariffs on any nation supplying Cuba with oil

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened new tariffs ‌on Thursday on countries supplying oil to Cuba, escalating a pressure campaign against the Communist-run island and long-time foe of the United ⁠States.

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened new tariffs ‌on Thursday on countries supplying oil to Cuba, escalating a pressure campaign against the Communist-run island and long-time foe of the United ⁠States. The move, authorized by an executive order under a national emergency declaration, stopped short of specifying tariff rates or singling out any countries whose products could face U.S. tariffs.

Cuba's state-run media shot back ​shortly after Trump's announcement, warning that the order threatened to paralyze electricity generation, agricultural production, water ‍supply and health services on an island already suffering a crippling economic crisis. "What is the goal? A genocide of the Cuban people," Cuba's government said in a statement on the nightly TV newscast. "All spheres of life will be ⁠suffocated by ‌the U.S. government."

Emboldened by ⁠the U.S. military's seizure of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a deadly raid earlier this month, Trump has ‍repeatedly talked of acting against Cuba and pressuring its leadership. Trump said this week that "Cuba will be failing ​pretty soon," adding that Venezuela, once the island's top oil supplier, has not recently sent ⁠oil or money to Cuba.

Reuters exclusively reported last week that Mexico - Cuba's top supplier after Venezuela cut off shipments ⁠in December - was also reviewing whether to continue sending oil amid growing fears it could face reprisals from the United States over the policy. Trump has used tariff threats as a foreign ⁠policy tool throughout his second term in office.

Cuba's president, Miguel Diaz-Canel, said this month that Washington had ⁠no moral authority ‌to force a deal on Cuba after Trump suggested the Communist-run island should strike an agreement with the U.S..

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)