The Secretary of State Marco Rubio affirmed this Wednesday that Washington keeps the door open for dialogue with Havana, but he accused the Cuban regime, in statements shared by the State Department on its social media, of lacking genuine willingness for change.
“We want Cuba to have a better future, and we are willing to do what it takes. But those currently in power must decide that they want to move in that direction. Unfortunately, at this moment, they do not wish to do so,” asserted the Secretary of State, who transferred the responsibility directly to Havana.
In response to the question of whether the U.S. is seeking a regime change through economic collapse or considering a military option, Rubio was direct:
"The goal is to achieve a Cuba where the Cuban people can live with prosperity, security, and a better life. We see it in the Cubans who leave the island and thrive anywhere in the world."
The secretary emphasized that the willingness to engage in dialogue is genuine: "We are prepared to be very realistic about how to achieve that goal and also patient in starting a serious process that leads to that outcome. We have spoken with them on various occasions, and they are fully aware of our position."
The two fundamental problems of the regime
Rubio identified two structural causes of the Cuban crisis.
The first issue is the economic model: "Their economic system is not functioning. It is a model that does not exist anywhere else in the world. It is completely outdated. That is why people have to leave the country."
The second is the loss of subsidized Venezuelan oil, whose collapse accelerated after the capture of Nicolás Maduro in January 2026.
Rubio also revealed a fact that highlights the regime's management: "About 60% of the crude oil they received for free from Venezuela was resold to generate cash," instead of being allocated to the electrical grid.
That reality was acknowledged by Miguel Díaz-Canel himself, who admitted on Monday that "it has been six months since a fuel ship has arrived, only a Russian ship has come."
"They don’t know what they are doing."
Rubio was emphatic in his assessment of those in charge of the island: “Cuba's biggest problem is that its regime is a disaster, its economic model doesn’t work, and those who govern the country don’t know what they are doing. What matters most to them is staying in power.”
He also explained the logic that, in his view, guides the regime: "They fear economic prosperity because they know that with greater well-being and more economic freedoms, they would lose control over the population. That has always been the contradiction they face."
This reading is consistent with previous positions.
In May, he described Cuba as a "failed state" and noted that "it cannot be fixed with the current political system."
In June, before Congress, he admitted that there are technocrats within the Cuban apparatus with whom Washington could collaborate for a transition.
Humanitarian aid and mass exodus
This Wednesday, Rubio announced the start of the delivery of over 100 million dollars in humanitarian aid, distributed by non-governmental organizations such as Catholic Relief Services and Cáritas Cuba, without the involvement of the Cuban government.
The first humanitarian flight departed from Miami on Tuesday, carrying 700 food kits and 700 hygiene kits.
Rubio also mentioned the demographic impact of the crisis: “Since 2021, the country has lost between 10% and 15% of its population due to the mismanagement of the regime.”
The regime has maintained a stance of conditional dialogue.
The Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío stated in March that "the Cuban political system is not subject to negotiation," and Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez warned in June that the bilateral talks "show no progress".
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