Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez accused US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday of lying before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee in Washington to provoke a humanitarian crisis and promote a US military intervention on the island. Relations between Cuba and the United States have once again come under the spotlight of investigations and public commentary, following a series of statements in parliamentary debates that directly targeted Cuba's role in the region and the potential consequences for US foreign policy and the business environment in Cuba. Cuban diplomacy reacted vehemently, stressing that the pace and content of the criticism could affect even the investment climate on the island.
Cascading reactions to accusations of supporting terrorism
During hearings before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, US officials argued that the Havana regime supports violent groups in Latin America and tolerates the presence of Russian and Chinese spy installations on its territory. In his speech, Marco Rubio stated that "Cuba sponsors terrorism" in several states in the region and added that there are facilities on the ground for intelligence gathering used by foreign forces. During this presentation, concrete examples of insurgent groups such as the National Liberation Army (ELN) and FARC were cited, designated as entities supported by Havana.
Cuba's official response and reasons for reaction
Subsequently, in a series of social media posts, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla reacted critically to the persistent claims of "lies before Congress" and political goals aimed at isolating the country. He expressed his belief that these statements aim to "asphyxiate the Cuban economy by all possible means" and facilitate a military intervention in Cuba, also accusing the Senate of allowing such statements to be made without providing a solid basis of arguments. Rodríguez Parrilla stressed that the claims about the lack of arguments before the US legislature are an attempt to discredit Cuba.
"He shows his true face. His political motivation and his sole purpose are clear: to asphyxiate the Cuban economy by all possible means, to provoke a humanitarian crisis, and to promote a military intervention in Cuba."
The head of Cuban diplomacy was quoted as reacting to his speech in the US, and he also criticized the fact that the Senate allowed external actors to lie while his country remains on the list of state sponsors of terrorism.
Diplomatic developments and the context of economic sanctions
In the context of tensions between Washington and Havana, the political cutouts were also commented on in light of measures previously taken by the US administration. Following actions against the Nicolás Maduro regime in Venezuela, the administration of former President Donald Trump intensified pressure on Cuba, including measures targeting essential sectors such as energy, agriculture, and foreign trade, which deepened the economic crisis on the island. While Cuban officials maintain that changes in a sovereign country can only occur through the will of the people, they accuse the US of preparing for a military aggression that would disrupt regional stability and likely affect the business environment and tourism flows.
It remains to be seen whether bilateral dialogue will reconsider the unilateralism of sanctions and whether it will open negotiation spaces to ease the economic conditions that fuel the vulnerability of the local private sector, including in tourism, logistics, and foreign direct investment, in the context of a global climate of advancing reforms and adapting to new geopolitical realities. According to Agerpres, citing EFE.
