The Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged this Wednesday, during a hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, that the United States “would love to see a regime change in Cuba”, although he clarified that this desire does not necessarily imply military or direct action to provoke the downfall of the government of Miguel Díaz-Canel.
Rubio's statement came in response to a question from a Democratic senator, who asked him to weigh in on whether the administration of President Donald Trump was considering a regime change policy towards Havana, similar to the one applied in Venezuela this month.
"We would love to see the regime change there. We would like that. That doesn’t mean we will make it change, but we certainly would like to see it change," Rubio responded.
"It would be a great benefit for the United States if Cuba were no longer governed by an autocratic regime," he added.
The Secretary of State recalled that U.S. policy towards Cuba is defined by the Helms-Burton Act of 1996, which codified the economic embargo and makes it contingent upon a democratic transition on the island.
"It's in the law. In order for us to lift the embargo, there must be a change of regime," Rubio explained before the Senate.
The Cuban-American official, one of the leading drivers of the maximum pressure policy against Havana, insisted that Washington's goal is not to "impose a model" but to ensure that "Cubans can live in freedom and without fear of their own government."
"A regime that has been oppressing its people for 65 years, violating rights and exporting repression to other countries, cannot be our interlocutor," the secretary stated, clearly referring to the historical ties of Castroism with Venezuela and Nicaragua.
Rubio's statements on Cuba were made during an extensive appearance before the Senate regarding the situation in Venezuela, where he outlined the government's roadmap under Donald Trump following the capture of Nicolás Maduro and the establishment of the interim mandate of Delcy Rodríguez.
In that speech, Rubio outlined a three-phase plan—stabilization, recovery, and political opening—and defended Washington's role as a guarantor of the transition.
"We want a friendly, stable, and democratic Venezuela, and we are prepared to use force if other methods fail," the secretary warned.
The warning to the Cuban government was issued by a senator who recalled the involvement of Cuban military advisers in Venezuela and the intelligence collaboration between the two countries.
"Havana should be concerned," said the legislator, citing reports linking Cuban officials to regional espionage operations.
Rubio, while not dismissing the possibility of future actions, stated that Washington will act within the legal and diplomatic framework, although he left the door open to other forms of coercion.
"I do not rule out the use of economic, political, or informational pressure. Cuba cannot continue to be an unpunished dictatorship in the hemisphere," he added.
Since the beginning of 2026, the United States has intensified its policy of isolation against the Cuban regime, strengthening financial sanctions, tightening controls on joint ventures, and pressuring Mexico to cease the shipment of subsidized oil to the island. Furthermore, Washington has openly supported internal opposition and Cuban civil society organizations.
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