The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, stated that Washington has not implemented any new punitive measures against the Cuban regime and dismissed official accusations blaming the U.S. for the worsening crisis on the island.
During an interview with Al Jazeera, the official stated that the Cuban government's discourse does not reflect reality.
"We haven't taken any punitive action against the Cuban regime. They say we have, but that's not true," Rubio stated.
According to his explanation, the main change that has impacted the Cuban economy in recent times does not stem from decisions made in Washington, but rather from the end of the energy subsidies that Havana received from Venezuela for many years.
"The only change is that they are no longer receiving free Venezuelan oil," he stated.
For Rubio, this loss has exposed the structural fragility of the Cuban economic model, which, he stated, relied heavily on that external support to sustain its operation.
The statements from the Secretary of State directly contradict the official narrative of the regime, which insists on pointing to the U.S. embargo as the central cause of the economic crisis, shortages, and blackouts affecting the population.
In contrast, Rubio argues that the current situation is due to internal factors and the disappearance of external sources of funding, rather than new pressure actions from the United States.
His words come at a time when the island is facing one of the worst economic crises in recent decades, characterized by shortages, inflation, and a sustained decline in basic services.
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