Page 10 - The Indian EYE 050126

OPINION MAY 01, 2026 | The Indian Eye 10

Correlating US Aggression

on Cuba, Venezuela and

Iran: The Oil Factor

President Trump’s conflict with countries that posed no immediate or imminent military
threat to the US should at least be explained by economic logic and motivation. Any conflict

initiated for any reason ultimately has its economic endgame

SAURABH MISHRA

t the beginning of 2026,
United States (US) forces
Aabducted President Nicolás
Maduro of Venezuela with the in-
tention of regime change, although
the stated goals were different. We
also witness the US facing extreme
difficulty in breaking Iran’s will to
fight, and Tehran is resisting regime
change despite immense losses to
its top leadership, military and civil-
ian infrastructure. Cuba, too, has a
standing threat issued by President
Trump, who had been projecting
himself as the ‘President of Peace’
until a few months ago.
The range and nature of the
targets selected at the beginning of
the US–Israeli joint strikes were be- Oil companies from Canada, China, Russia, Spain, Norway and India had shown interest and invested in Cuba’s offshore exploration blocks,
yond what was required to eliminate
Iran’s nuclear capability, which was but nothing productive has come of it (IDSA)
allegedly achieved in June 2025 it-
self. Therefore, the US’s emphasis to study, as President Trump himself ical assessments of Cuba, especially its energy dependence on Venezuela
on the nuclear dimension as justifi- has highlighted that the US is a net its northern offshore Exclusive Eco- and Mexico amid the post-Cold War
cation for the attacks seemed more energy exporter and does not need nomic Zone (EEZ) blocks, iden- geopolitical landscape. Oil compa-
like a bogeyman. At the same time, foreign oil as it did in the past. It is tify and acknowledge its potential nies from Canada, China, Russia,
the real objectives were different noteworthy that within a month of to catapult itself among the top 20 Spain, Norway and India had shown
and linked to the long-term Trum- the inauguration of his second stint, largest proven oil reservoirs in the interest and invested in Cuba’s off-
pian grand strategy to be achieved President Trump signed an executive world and become a significant play- shore exploration blocks, but noth-
through regime change in Iran. Pres- order stating his administration’s er in the oil economy of the Latin ing productive has come of it. Almost
ident Trump, known for his transac- policy of “making America energy American Region. Even if the mean 80 per cent of the exploration area
tionalism, is spending billions of dol- dominant”. To this end, the order es- potential of the reserves is realized, lies in deep or ultra-deep waters, and
lars on military adventures in Iran. tablished the National Energy Dom- only Venezuela and Canada would oil cannot be easily extracted with
Hence, the question is what motivat- inance Council (NEDC) under the be able to surpass Cuba in terms of old technology. The state-of-the-
ed him to go to this war. Executive Office of the President per capita oil reserves in the West- art exploration technology is owned
President Trump started his sec- Cuba currently has only 124 bil- ern Hemisphere. The estimates for and controlled by the US, which has
ond term with the slogan “drill baby lion barrels of proven oil reserves, the Cuban offshore fields are at least imposed sanctions and a blockade
drill”. He concluded that producing ranking it the 67th largest reserve half the size of the US’s Alaskan oil against Cuba, making it difficult to
more oil would help grow the US holder. The US and Cuban geolog- reserves. drill due to technology and invest-
economy faster and secure its fu- ical surveys estimate recoverable oil Since the discovery of Cuba’s ment denial, and practically choking
ture hegemony. His pursuit of for- reserves between 4.6 and 20 billion oil potential in the early 21st centu- the country from becoming energy
eign oil resources is also important barrels, respectively. Various geolog- ry, the country has sought to reduce Continued on next page... >>

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