Rubio says Cuba is threat to US as Havana accuses him of ‘lies

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The National Security Pivot and the Raúl Castro Indictment

The diplomatic relationship between Washington and Havana has reached a volatile breaking point. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio asserted that Cuba poses a “national security threat” to the United States. While Rubio maintained that a diplomatic solution remains the preference, he warned that the probability of a peaceful agreement is “not high” given the current leadership in Cuba. This rhetorical escalation follows a massive legal strike. On Wednesday, the Trump administration announced criminal charges against former Cuban president Raúl Castro, now 94. The indictment centers on a murder charge related to the 1996 downing of two civilian aircraft over the Florida Straits, an event that resulted in the deaths of US nationals. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, announcing the charges in Miami, stated the US “expect he will show up here, by his own will or another way.” When pressed on how the administration would secure Castro’s presence in a US court, Rubio declined to reveal specific plans, noting he would not disclose government strategies to the media.

Bypassing GAESA: The $100 Million Humanitarian Gamble

In a strategic attempt to peel the Cuban populace away from its government, Rubio delivered a video message in Spanish on Cuban Independence Day. He offered a new relationship between the U.S. and Cuba, but with a critical caveat: the relationship must be with the people, not the state. At the center of this friction is GAESA, the military-controlled conglomerate that dominates the island’s economy. The stakes of bypassing this entity are immense:

• Economic Control: GAESA is estimated to control roughly 70 percent of Cuba’s economy.
• Asset Value: The conglomerate is estimated to hold $18 billion in assets.
• US Strategy: Washington views GAESA as the primary obstacle to a settlement with ordinary citizens.

Rubio pledged $100 million in food and medicine to alleviate the current fuel and food crises, but insisted the aid must be distributed by the Catholic Church or other trusted charitable groups. “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.” Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State

Havana’s Accusations of Manufactured Aggression

The Cuban government has responded with fierce condemnation, framing the US actions as a calculated attempt to justify military intervention. Cuba’s Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodriguez, used X to accuse Rubio of fabricating threats to create a pretext for war. “The reason the U.S. Secretary of State lies so repeatedly and unscrupulously when referring to Cuba and trying to justify the aggression to which he subjects the Cuban people is not ignorance or incompetence. He knows full well that there is no excuse for such cruel and ruthless aggression.” Cuban Embassy in the U.S. According to the Foreign Policy Journal, Rodriguez specifically alleged that Rubio “lies once again to instigate a military aggression that would provoke the shedding of Cuban and American blood.” President Miguel Díaz-Canel echoed this sentiment, arguing that the humanitarian crisis is “coldly calculated and induced” by the US blockade, and urged Washington to lift the embargo rather than offer conditional aid. The tension is further complicated by geopolitical alignments. Rubio alleged that Cuba hosts Russian and Chinese intelligence operations and has acquired weapons from both nations. Russia has reportedly pledged active support for Havana, criticizing the American sanctions as a “stranglehold.”

Strategic Pressures and the Arrest of Adys Lastres Morera

The administration’s pressure campaign extends beyond diplomacy and indictments into targeted enforcement. Rubio announced the arrest of Adys Lastres Morera in Florida, the sister of a top official within the military-run GAESA conglomerate. Rubio alleged that Morera was living in the US while simultaneously aiding the communist regime. She remains in custody pending deportation proceedings. This pattern of aggressive action—combining legal indictments, financial offers to the populace, and the targeting of regime-linked individuals—mirrors the Trump administration’s previous approach to Venezuela. Some observers have noted that the Raúl Castro indictment is reminiscent of the January military operation against Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. President Donald Trump has been blunt about his assessment of the island, describing Cuba as a “failed country” in the Oval Office. While he framed the $100 million aid offer as a humanitarian gesture to help Cuban-Americans “go back to their country” and assist in its success, he has openly discussed the possibility of toppling the communist regime. The current trajectory suggests a high-risk gamble. By simultaneously designating Cuba a national security threat and offering a direct lifeline to the people, the US is attempting to create an internal rupture. However, with Russia and China providing a diplomatic and potentially military shield for Havana, the risk of a miscalculation in the Caribbean has become one of the most volatile fronts in American foreign policy.