US President Donald Trump has suggested a "friendly takeover" of Cuba, stating on Friday that the Cuban government is in "big trouble" with no money, oil, or food. He claimed Secretary of State Marco Rubio is leading high-level talks on the matter.

The US has been applying economic and diplomatic pressure on Cuba for two months. In January, Trump authorized a military operation to detain Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, then intensified pressure on Cuba by cutting off oil supplies.

UN experts have condemned these measures as violations of international law. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel accused Trump of attempting to "strangle the Cuban economy" through the fuel blockade.

Source: www.aljazeera.com