The United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, issued new criticisms from the Oval Office against the Cuban regime and stated that the reforms implemented on the island are not sufficient to resolve the deep economic crisis.
In statements made this Tuesday, Rubio stated that the main problem in Cuba is structural and lies within a system that, in his view, has proven to be unviable for decades.
"The bottom line is that their economy is not functioning. It is a non-functional economy," he pointed out, while recalling that the Cuban model has historically relied on external subsidies, first from the Soviet Union and then from Venezuela.
The head of U.S. diplomacy warned that the current situation is critical, as that support has disappeared, leaving the regime in a position of high economic fragility.
Rubio also questioned the ability of Cuban leadership to reverse the crisis.
"They are in a lot of trouble, and the people in charge don't know how to solve it," he stated, adding: "They must change dramatically."
In that regard, he stated that the only solution lies in a change in the power structure on the island.
"They need to put new people in charge," she emphasized.
The statements from the Secretary of State come amid increasing pressure on the Cuban regime and during a severe economic and energy crisis that has heightened social unrest within the country.
The Secretary of State refers to the recent announcement by the Cuban regime to allow citizens residing abroad to invest and own businesses on the island, as an attempt to attract capital and alleviate the economic crisis.
In an interview with NBC News, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga, confirmed that Havana is seeking to create opportunities for both American companies and Cubans living abroad, particularly in the United States.
However, Trump's demands go further. The current administration would be attempting to remove Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel from power as a condition for making significant progress in the discussions it is having with Havana, according to a report published this Monday by The New York Times.
According to that information, U.S. officials reportedly communicated to Cuban negotiators that Díaz-Canel should resign, although they would leave it to the Cuban side to determine how to carry out that step.
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