The United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, published a message in Spanish on Wednesday directed straight to the Cuban people, coinciding with the 124th anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Cuba, to hold the military conglomerate GAESA accountable for the hardships faced by the island and to offer a vision of a "new Cuba" where success does not depend on the Communist Party.
In the video shared on his X account, Rubio was direct: "The real reason you lack electricity, fuel, and food is that those who control your country have looted billions of dollars, yet none of it has been used to help the people."
The Secretary of State described GAESA as "a state within a state that answers to no one," with $18 billion in assets and control over 70% of the Cuban economy, including hotels, banks, stores, and even the remittances that families send from the United States.
Rubio noted that Raúl Castro founded GAESA 30 years ago as the economic arm of the Armed Forces, and that its revenues triple the budget of the Cuban government.
He accused the elite of the conglomerate of purchasing fuel for their own generators and vehicles while asking the people to make sacrifices, and of building hotels for foreigners instead of modernizing the destroyed power plants.
"Cuba is not controlled by any revolution. Cuba is controlled by GAESA," Rubio stated, adding that the only role of the so-called government is "to demand that you continue making sacrifices and to repress anyone who dares to complain."
On behalf of President Trump, Rubio offered 100 million dollars in food and medicine, with one explicit condition: "It must be distributed directly to the Cuban people by the Catholic Church or other trusted charitable groups, not stolen by GAESA to be sold in their stores."
The offer is part of an escalation of pressure on Havana. The State Department sanctioned GAESA on May 7, describing it as the "core of Cuba's kleptocratic communist system," and gave foreign companies until June 5 to terminate business dealings with the conglomerate.
The regime initially dismissed the proposal of 100 million as a "fable," but Díaz-Canel would have accepted the aid for food, fuel, and medicine on May 14, according to El País.
The backdrop is an unprecedented energy crisis: on May 13, a record electrical deficit of 2,153 MW was recorded, and on March 16, the sixth nationwide blackout occurred in 18 months. The UN reported in April more than 96,000 postponed surgeries, 32,000 at-risk pregnant women, and nearly half a million students with reduced school hours.
Beyond immediate assistance, Rubio outlined a vision for the future: "A new Cuba where you, the ordinary Cubans, not just GAESA, can own a gas station, a clothing store, or a restaurant."
He also proposed a Cuba where citizens can own media outlets, "complain about a failing system without fear of going to prison," and choose and replace their leaders through voting.
Rubio compared that possibility to the reality of neighboring countries: "If owning your own business and having the right to vote is possible around Cuba, why is it not possible for you within Cuba?"
The message concluded with an implicit warning to the regime: "In the United States, we are ready to open a new chapter in the relationship between our people and our countries. And currently, the only thing standing in the way of a better future is those who control your country."
Message from Marco Rubio to the Cubans
On a day like today, in 1902, the Cuban flag flew for the first time over an independent country. But I know that today you, who call the Island your home, are facing unimaginable difficulties.
Today, I want to share with you the truth about the reason for your suffering and tell you what we, in the United States, are offering you to help not only alleviate the current crisis but also build a better future.
The reason they are forced to survive for up to 22 hours a day without electricity is not due to an oil blockade by the United States. As you know better than anyone, they have been suffering blackouts for years.
The real reason they lack electricity, fuel, and food is that those in control of their country have stolen billions of dollars, and none of that has been used to help the people.
Thirty years ago, Raúl Castro founded a company called GAESA. This company belongs to the Armed Forces and is operated by them. Its revenues are three times higher than the budget of the Cuban government.
Today, while you suffer, these businessmen control 18 billion dollars in assets and dominate 70% of the Cuban economy.
They earn profits from hotels, construction, banks, stores, and even the money their relatives send them from the United States. Everything passes through their hands.
A percentage of those remittances is withheld, but none of GAESA's profits reach the Cuban people.
Instead of using that money to buy oil, as other countries do around the world, they relied for years on the free oil sent by Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro to keep the cash.
But now that they no longer receive that oil for free, they buy fuel for their generators and vehicles, while the people are asked to continue making sacrifices.
Instead of using the money to maintain and modernize the damaged power plants, they use it to build more hotels for foreigners and send their relatives to live in luxury in Madrid and even in the United States.
Today, Cuba is not governed by any revolution. Cuba is controlled by GAESA: a state within a state that is accountable to no one and hoards the profits from its businesses to benefit a small elite.
And the only role that the so-called government plays is to demand that you continue to make sacrifices and to suppress anyone who dares to protest.
President Trump offers a new relationship between the United States and Cuba, but it must be directly with you, the Cuban people, and not with GAESA.
First, we are offering 100 million dollars in food and medicine for you, the people, but that aid must be distributed directly by the Catholic Church or other trusted charitable organizations, not stolen by GAESA to sell in their stores.
But the Cuban people are not interested in living off permanent charity.
You want the opportunity to live in your own country as your family members do in the United States and other countries around the world.
Today, from media to entertainment, from business to politics, from music to sports, Cubans have reached the top of nearly every industry in every country, except for one: Cuba.
Today, in Cuba, only those close to the GAESA elite or who are part of it can have profitable businesses.
But President Trump offers a new path between the United States and a new Cuba.
A new Cuba where you, the everyday Cubans, and not just GAESA, can own a gas station, a clothing store, or a restaurant.
A new Cuba where you, and not just GAESA, can open a bank or have a construction company.
A new Cuba where you, and not just the Communist Party, can own a television station or a newspaper.
A new Cuba where people can criticize a failing system without fear of imprisonment or being forced to leave the Island.
And a new Cuba where they have the real opportunity to choose who governs the country and vote to replace them if they do not do their job well.
This is not impossible.
All of that exists in the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and even just 90 miles away, in Florida.
If having your own business and the right to vote is possible around Cuba, why can't it be possible within Cuba?
In the United States, we are ready to open a new chapter in the relationship between our peoples.
And today, the only thing standing in the way of a better future is those who control their country.
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