Related videos:
Marco Rubio turns 55 today, and the date has sparked a wave of congratulations ranging from the White House to comments from everyday Cubans on social media, transforming the Secretary of State's birthday into a moment filled with political symbolism.
The White House spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, was one of the first to share her congratulations on X: "Happy birthday to our extraordinary Secretary of State and National Security Advisor, and my dear friend." The State Department itself posted a musical video on its official account that garnered over 331,000 views and 21,193 likes, making it the most widely shared post of the day.
Cuban-American congress members also joined in with heartfelt messages. Representative María Elvira Salazar wrote: "Miami is proud to call you one of our own. You are the best Secretary of State this country has had in generations." Representative Carlos A. Giménez emphasized that "America is stronger thanks to your service," while Mario Díaz-Balart shared historic photos of his friendship with Rubio, including images from Congress and events related to Cuba.
The U.S. Embassy in Cuba published in Spanish: "Did you know that today is the birthday of Secretary of State Marco Rubio? What message do you want to send him?" and the response from Cubans was particularly striking.
Dozens of comments from the island and the diaspora expressed hope, affection, and desperation in equal measures. "I hope you are the key piece in the freedom of our homeland," one wrote. "We are going to die in piles; there’s nothing," another lamented, referring to the blackouts affecting more than 55% of Cuban territory. "Marco Rubio is more loved by the Cuban people than Raúl, Canel, and company," a third person asserted.
The birthday arrives at a time of maximum pressure on the Cuban regime. Just the day before, in a cabinet meeting at the White House, Rubio described the Havana government as "incompetent communists" and noted that GAESA controls 70% of the Cuban economy with none of those resources benefiting the people. Nevertheless, he left the door open for dialogue: "We want something good for the Cuban people and, hopefully, there will be a positive outcome for them."
The early birthday celebration took place last Sunday in New Delhi, India, during an event at Bharat Mandapam marking the 250th anniversary of American independence. There, the Village People sang "Happy Birthday" in front of a four-tier cake, with Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar in attendance. Trump joined the event via phone from Washington and stated that Rubio "will go down in history as the best Secretary of State of the United States."
The son of Cuban immigrants who arrived in the United States in 1956, Rubio was confirmed as Secretary of State on January 20, 2025, with a historic vote of 99-0 in the Senate, becoming the first Hispanic to hold that position. Since then, the Trump administration has imposed over 240 sanctions against the Cuban regime, and the deadline for foreign companies to sever ties with GAESA is set for June 5, making the days following his birthday a pivotal moment for the island.
"A Marco Rubio as president of a capitalist Cuba, trading with the U.S. on equal terms... that Cuba is the one we dream of," summarized a Cuban on social media, expressing the sentiments of many who shared their best wishes today.
Filed under: