US Secretary of State Marco Rubio marked Cuban Independence Day on Wednesday with a rare Spanish-language message directly addressed to the people of Cuba, in which he accused the island country’s communist leadership of worsening Havana’s economic condition, and its prolonged humanitarian hardship.
“The real reason you don’t have electricity, fuel, or food is because those who control your country have plundered billions of dollars, but nothing has been used to help the people,” Rubio said.
The video message, which marked Rubio’s first direct address to Cubans since assuming his role in the government, is a part of the Trump administration’s broader pressure campaign against Havana.
Much of his speech remained focused on GAESA, the military-controlled conglomerate founded by Raúl Castro, which controls large parts of Cuba’s economy, including hotels, banks, retail businesses and remittance flows from the US.
Rubio claimed the group controlled around 70% of the island nation’s economy, and starkly contrasted the wealth of military elite, and the average Cuban citizen, reports Axios.
“Cuba is not controlled by any ‘revolution.’ Cuba is controlled by GAESA,” Rubio said, and accused the government of forcing Cubans to “continue making ‘sacrifices’ and repressing anyone who dares to complain.”
Highlighting the success of Cubans abroad, he said “from media to entertainment, from the private sector to politics, and from music to sports,” Cubans had managed to reach the pinnacle of success in all industries, in all countries save one, “Cuba.”
Later on Wednesday, the US Justice Department was expected to unveil an indictment against Raúl Castro over allegations linked to the 1996 shootdown of two Miami-based rescue aircraft operated by Brothers to the Rescue.
Cuba’s government and supporters blame the island’s troubles on the longstanding US embargo, the Trump administration’s new sanctions and the lack of oil it used to receive for free from Venezuela before Washington kidnapped Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro on January 3.
“Acting as the world’s policeman and in blatant violation of international law and the fundamental principles of free trade in goods and services, the sovereign right of all states that have or wish to maintain economic, commercial, and financial relations with Cuba is being explicitly, blatantly, and directly attacked,” read a May 8 editorial in the country’s state-run media, slamming Trump’s recent executive order imposing new sanctions.
Rubio’s speech came as Cuba continues facing one of its worst economic crises in decades, with severe shortages of food, fuel and electricity. In some parts of the island, electricity is reportedly available for only a few hours a day.
The secretary of state also said the US was prepared to provide $100 million in food and medicine directly to the Cuban people through the “Catholic Church or other trusted charitable groups. Not stolen by GAESA to sell in one of their stores.”
At the same time, US officials told the media outlet that Havana had reportedly acquired hundreds of attack drones from Russia and China amid rising geopolitical tensions.
Ending his address, Rubio offered Cubans the vision of “a new Cuba” where citizens could own businesses, vote freely and criticise the government without fear of imprisonment or exile.
“This is not impossible,” Rubio said. “If owning your own business and having the right to vote is possible around Cuba, why is it not possible for you in Cuba.”
