During his nomination hearing on Wednesday, Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio delivered a bold statement about the Cuban regime, offering an ultimatum: either open up the country and its economy or accept the reality of being stuck as “the owners of a 4th world country.” This stark message was part of a broader discussion on Cuba, which Rubio wrapped up by acknowledging its long-standing challenges.
When asked by fellow Senator Rick Scott about Florida’s diverse nationalities, Rubio took a deep dive into the situations in Haiti, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Cuba. But it was Cuba, he noted, that has remained a pressing issue for years.
Rubio highlighted the core problem in Cuba: a communist regime that still refuses to acknowledge that Marxism doesn’t work. He pointed out that the Cuban military has created a massive holding company, GAESA, that controls nearly every profitable venture in the country. From tourism to telecommunications, GAESA rakes in billions, despite Cuba’s ongoing struggles with electricity blackouts and other economic issues.
The Miami Herald recently published an exposé on GAESA, revealing how the Cuban military has funneled the country’s hard currency into its private enterprises, leaving the Cuban people to deal with the fallout of a failing economy.
In his criticism of the current administration, Rubio lamented the lifting of some sanctions against GAESA by the Biden administration, which, according to him, has allowed the regime to generate even more money, often through manipulative tactics like handling remittances from Cuban families abroad.
Later in the hearing, Rubio responded to Senator Ted Cruz’s question about whether Cuba should be designated as a state sponsor of terrorism. Rubio didn’t hesitate: “Without a question.” He elaborated on Cuba’s ties to groups like Colombia’s FARC and ELN, Hamas, and Hezbollah, insisting that the regime clearly meets all the qualifications for terrorism sponsorship.
Looking to the future, Rubio warned that Cuba is at a crossroads. The country is “literally collapsing,” and its leaders will soon face a tough decision: either open up to the world, giving individual Cubans the power to shape their own futures, or continue holding on to control, even as the country falls further into chaos.
Rubio’s message is clear – Cuba’s leadership must decide whether they are ready to embrace change or remain in denial, clinging to a system that’s clearly not working for the Cuban people. The clock is ticking.
