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The Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla launched a strong critique this Wednesday against the U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, following the video message he directed to the Cuban people on Independence Day, accusing him of repeating "his deceitful script" to cover up the harm that, according to the minister, Washington causes with its sanctions.
In a post on Facebook, Rodríguez described Rubio as a "spokesperson for corrupt and revengeful interests, concentrated in South Florida and who do not represent the feelings of the majority of the American people, nor of the Cubans living there."
The chancellor also rejected the offer of 100 million dollars in food and medicine announced by Rubio, although he did not formally dismiss it: “He continues to talk about a 100 million dollars aid that Cuba has not rejected, but whose cynicism is evident to anyone given the devastating effect of the economic blockade and the energy siege.”
Rodríguez took the opportunity to critique the symbolism chosen by Rubio: he accused the Secretary of State of using May 20—considered by the regime as the beginning of a neocolonial period—to try to make Cuba a "dependent appendage of the U.S." again.
He closed his publication with a statement of principles: "Neocolonial Cuba and the Platt Amendment are the past. The present and the future are independence and sovereignty."
The message from Rubio, the first message the Secretary of State directs in Spanish directly to the Cuban people, held the military-business conglomerate GAESA — founded 30 years ago by Raúl Castro — responsible for looting billions of dollars while Cubans suffer from power outages of up to 22 hours a day.
According to Rubio, GAESA controls 18 billion dollars in assets and dominates 70% of the Cuban economy through hotels, construction, banks, stores, and remittances.
"The real reason they lack electricity, fuel, and food is that those who control their country have embezzled billions of dollars, but nothing has been used to help the people," stated the Secretary of State.
Rubio was even more direct when he stated: "Cuba is not controlled by any revolution. Cuba is controlled by GAESA."
The regime's response was multifaceted. President Miguel Díaz-Canel described May 20 as a symbol of "intervention, meddling, dispossession, and frustration" and referred to those who support Rubio's message as "mercenaries of dishonor."
The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carlos Fernández de Cossío, accused Rubio of "lying so repeatedly and unscrupulously" about Cuba to justify a "cruel and ruthless aggression."
The exchange occurs amid a sustained escalation: on May 1, Trump signed Executive Order 14404 with new sanctions, and on May 7, Rubio announced direct sanctions against GAESA and set June 5 as the deadline for foreign companies to sever ties with the conglomerate.
This Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice filed formal charges against Raúl Castro for ordering the downing of two planes from Hermanos al Rescate on February 24, 1996, resulting in the deaths of four individuals over international waters, according to a report by El País.
Rubio closed his message with a direct warning to the Cuban people: "In the United States, we are ready to open a new chapter in the relationship between our people and our countries. And right now, the only thing standing in the way of a better future is those who control your country."
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