On Saturday, Marco Rubio made a remark that did not go unnoticed during the conference he held with President Donald Trump and other high-ranking U.S. officials at Mar-a-Lago: “If I lived in Havana and were in government, I would be at least a little concerned.”
The statement came after Trump's appearance, where he provided details about the operation that led to the capture of the Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, when a journalist directly asked if he had "any message for Cuba."
Trump spoke first and described the Island as a country in ruins.
—Is there a message for Cuba?
Trump: “Cuba is an interesting case… Cuba is not doing very well at the moment… that system has not been very good for Cuba… people have suffered for many years… Cuba is a failed nation at this time… and we want to help the people… also help those who were forced to leave Cuba and are living in this country.”
Then he handed the microphone to his Secretary of State.
—Do you want to say something about that, Marco?
Rubio: “Cuba is a disaster. It is run by incompetents... they have no economy; it is in total collapse.”
Rubio also linked Havana with political and security control over Venezuela during Maduro's years, a point aimed at resonating with the Cuban audience due to the implications of the regime's influence in the region.
—Why do you mention Cuba in this context?
Rubio: “All the guards who help protect Maduro… his entire intelligence agency… were filled with Cubans… one of the biggest problems that Venezuelans face is that they have to declare independence from Cuba… they basically tried to colonize it from a security standpoint.”
—What does this mean for Havana?
Rubio: “If I lived in Havana and were in the government, I would be at least a little worried.”
The exchange concluded with a mention of measures already announced by Trump regarding sanctions and energy. Rubio reminded that the president "already announced it a week ago" and pointed out that "what’s sanctioned" is "sanctioned oil" and that it would not be allowed to "get there," a phrase that many interpret as a direct warning about supplies that ultimately support the Cuban regime.
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