Rubio: Cuba Needs 'New People in Charge'

Secretary of State Marco Rubio called for new leadership in Cuba as the Caribbean nation grapples with what he described on Tuesday as a “non-functional economy.”

Rubio blamed poor leadership on the state of Cuba’s economy, further calling for regime change.

“The people in charge, they don’t know how to fix it,” Rubio told reporters during a press conference in the Oval Office. “So they have to get new people in charge.”

The secretary of state added that Cuba’s economy “doesn’t work” and has only survived on subsidies from the Soviet Union and Venezuela.

“They don’t get subsidies anymore, so they’re in a lot of trouble,” Rubio added.

President Donald Trump said Monday ‌ he expected to have the "honor" of "taking Cuba in some form,” claiming he could do whatever he wants with the neighboring country. He previously said Cuba ⁠may be subject to a "friendly takeover," noting that "it may not be a friendly takeover."

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel earlier this month confirmed that his government has opened up talks with the United States to improve largely adverse relations. Diaz-Canel also said he hoped the negotiations would move the two long-time rivals "away from confrontation."

Trump has ramped up pressure this year on Cuba since capturing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January. Venezuela is considered Cuba's most important foreign benefactor. Trump cut off Venezuelan oil shipments to Cuba and threatened to slap tariffs on any country that sells oil to Cuba, strangling the island's already depleting grid.

The U.S. energy blockade has prevented any fuel imports to Cuba for several months and further crippled Cuba with an energy crisis.

Cuba gradually restored power on Tuesday after its national electric grid collapsed the day before, leaving around 10 million people in the dark as the United States continues to choke off its oil supply. In addition to spending most of their days in the dark, Cubans also face rising prices and strictly rationed fuel and medicine shortages,

Trump earlier this month had predicted that the communist-run country was on the verge of collapse and was eager to make an agreement with the United States.

“They want to make a deal, and so I’m going to put Marco (Rubio) over there and we’ll see how that works out,” Trump told CNN, adding that Cuba is “ready” after 50 years for the United States to intervene. But the president also stressed that Iran right now remains a top priority.
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