The U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio hinted that Cuba could be the next target of increased U.S. pressure.
In statements to the network NBC during the program 'Meet the Press', Rubio refrained from confirming whether Cuba could be the next target of the administration of Donald Trump, but hinted at the possibility of new actions.
"I will not speak about our next steps or policies at this time, but it is no mystery that we are not great admirers of the Cuban regime,” stated the Cuban-American politician, describing the Cuban government as “a major problem” following the attacks in Venezuela and the capture of Nicolás Maduro, while noting that the Cuban regime played a central role in the protection of the former Venezuelan president."
The secretary also stated that Maduro's security apparatus was controlled by Cuban agents. “It was the Cubans, not the Venezuelans, who protected Maduro,” he indicated.
"His internal security apparatus and intelligence system—those that monitor others to prevent betrayals—are entirely run by Cubans." Rubio stated that this "internal colonization" partly explains the close dependence between Caracas and Havana.
Rubio also referred to the leader of the opposition, María Corina Machado, stating that she "is fantastic" but is currently outside of Venezuela.
"María Corina Machado is fantastic, and she is someone I have known for a long time, just like the whole movement, but we are dealing with the immediate reality."
"The immediate reality is that, unfortunately and sadly, the vast majority of the opposition is no longer present in Venezuela. We have urgent issues that need to be addressed immediately," he added, referring to a possible transition led by the opposition.
Rubio also made it clear that Washington will continue to target vessels linked to drug trafficking and confiscate sanctioned ships transporting oil, a policy that has already resulted in dozens of deaths at sea and keeps several countries in the region on edge.
In the interview with Meet the Press, Rubio denied the existence of a war against Venezuela, but unequivocally defended the military operations ordered by President Donald Trump. He stated that it is about “enforcing the law,” both in the fight against drug trafficking and in the implementation of oil sanctions.
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