Pope Leo XIV has expressed profound concern regarding the deteriorating relations between the United States and Cuba, calling for genuine diplomatic engagement to prevent further humanitarian consequences. The pontiff’s remarks came during his weekly Angelus prayer at St. Peter’s Square, where he endorsed the Cuban bishops’ appeal for constructive dialogue between the nations.
The Vatican’s intervention follows President Donald Trump’s recent announcement of impending import tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba. This economic measure represents Washington’s latest effort to intensify pressure on the Cuban regime, particularly following the January ousting of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Cuba’s principal regional ally.
President Trump justified the tariff threat as essential to “protect U.S. national security and foreign policy interests against the malicious actions and policies of the Cuban regime.” The president previously predicted Cuba’s imminent collapse, noting that Venezuela—historically the island’s primary oil supplier—had ceased both petroleum exports and financial support to Havana.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez characterized the U.S. measures as constituting an “international emergency,” describing them as an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to Cuba’s stability. Meanwhile, aboard Air Force One en route to Florida, President Trump reiterated his call for negotiations with Cuba, asserting that “it doesn’t have to be a humanitarian crisis.”
The geopolitical tension marks a significant reversal from the brief period of détente experienced during the Obama administration, returning to the historically strained relations that have characterized most of the six-decade-long standoff between the two nations.