Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke out about Cuba again this Wednesday during a cabinet meeting at the White House chaired by President Donald Trump, combining a strong criticism of the regime with a new signal of openness to dialogue.
"Cuba is in a big problem because, unfortunately for them, it is run by a bunch of incompetent communists. And being a communist is bad; being an incompetent communist is like the worst," Rubio stated before the cabinet.
The secretary pointed directly to Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A. (GAESA), the business conglomerate controlled by the Cuban Armed Forces, as the main structural problem of the island: "The country has been taken over by this company called GAESA, which basically controls 70% of the economy. None of the money from that company is going to help the Cuban people. None."
Despite the harshness of the diagnosis, Rubio kept the door open for negotiations: "So we will be talking to them, we will be working on it. We want something good for the Cuban people, and hopefully, there will be a good outcome for them. There has to be."
The secretary also framed the Cuban situation as a national security issue: "It is 90 miles from our shores, and having a failed state 90 miles from our shores is a threat to the national security of the United States."
Today's statements contrast with the more pessimistic tone Rubio adopted on May 21, when he admitted to the press that "frankly, I don't see much progress" in the negotiations with Havana, despite confirming that the U.S. ambassador met with Cuban officials and that the CIA director visited the island.
At that same press conference, Rubio dismissed the economic reforms announced by the regime as genuine: "The things they announce regarding the economy are cosmetic, not real. Because for years they have become accustomed to buying time and waiting for us to withdraw."
The pressure on the regime is at its peak. Since January 2026, the Trump administration has imposed over 240 sanctions against the Cuban regime, including direct measures against GAESA and its president, Brigadier General Ania Guillermina Lastres Morera.
The U.S. has also intercepted at least seven tankers in international waters, reducing Cuba's fuel imports by 80% to 90%, which has worsened an energy crisis with power outages exceeding 20 hours daily in more than 55% of the territory.
Additionally, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) transferred Adys Lastres Morera to Louisiana, sister of the president of GAESA, who was detained in Miami on May 22 for being deemed "a threat to the United States."
The deadline set by Washington for foreign companies to cease operations with GAESA or face secondary sanctions is June 5, which adds urgency to any diplomatic moves in the coming weeks.
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