Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel responded to Marco Rubio following remarks by the U.S. Secretary of State at the White House, which denied the existence of an oil blockade against Cuba.
Díaz-Canel attempted to discredit the U.S. Secretary of State, claiming ignorance of the executive orders signed by Donald Trump.
In a post on X, Díaz-Canel stated, "It's surprising that a senior U.S. official publicly declares that their government does not enforce an energy blockade against Cuba, unaware of what was stipulated in the Executive Order by his own president on January 29."
He further noted that Rubio had not listened to "his president and the White House spokesperson addressing the issue," referring to earlier statements that implicitly acknowledged the energy blockade.
Rubio's Comments and Accusations
From the White House podium, Rubio asserted, "There is no oil blockade against Cuba as such. Cuba used to receive free oil from Venezuela. They were given a substantial amount of free oil. They took about 60% of that oil and resold it for cash. It didn't even benefit the people."
He added, "Nowadays, with oil prices, no one is giving away oil, especially not to a failed regime."
Rubio attributed Cuba's energy crisis to the collapse of Venezuelan supplies and labeled the island's government as a "failed state," stating, "The only thing worse than a communist is an incompetent communist. And that's what they have: incompetent communists running that country."
Díaz-Canel's Rebuttal and Trump's Executive Orders
Díaz-Canel directly countered Rubio's claims: "It is equally surprising that he blames the supposed incompetence of Cubans for the economic difficulties, which the U.S. government itself has set out and still aims to destroy, investing significant resources and political capital to achieve this."
According to Díaz-Canel, Trump's administration's actions contradict Rubio's narrative.
On January 29, Trump signed Executive Order 14380 against the Cuban dictatorship, declaring Cuba an "unusual and extraordinary threat" and imposing secondary tariffs on any country or entity supplying oil to the island, leading to a reduction in Cuban energy imports by 80% to 90%.
In early February, Trump implicitly acknowledged the blockade, stating, "It doesn't have to be a humanitarian crisis. They could come to us, and we would make a deal. That way, Cuba would be free again."
Recent Developments and Humanitarian Decisions
However, on February 20, Trump signed another executive order ending the additional tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), including those related to Executive Order 14380 against the Cuban government.
On March 30, a significant development occurred. The Russian oil tanker Anatoli Kolodkin, sanctioned by the United States, docked in Matanzas with approximately 730,000 barrels of crude oil.
This was the first major fuel shipment to the island in over three months, made possible because the White House chose not to block it for humanitarian reasons. "If a country wants to send some oil to Cuba, I have no problem with that," Trump stated at the time.
On May 1, Trump signed a third executive order expanding sanctions on the energy, defense, mining, and finance sectors, including secondary sanctions on foreign banks operating with sanctioned Cuban entities.
Impact on Cuba's Economy and Energy Sector
On Monday, Trump asserted, "Cuba is completely devastated right now. It would be an honor to liberate it."
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla had accused Rubio on Wednesday of "lying" and "contradicting the President and the White House Spokesperson," calling him the "architect of the siege."
The fall of the Chávez regime left a devastating impact on the Cuban people by cutting off oil supplies. Cuba internally produces around 40,000 barrels daily against a demand of 90,000 to 110,000.
The result is daily blackouts in over 55% of the territory, with an energy deficit of 1,750 megawatts worsened by the breakdown of the Guiteras thermoelectric plant, while the Cuban economy is projected to contract by 7.2% in 2026.
Rubio concluded his Monday remarks with a warning summarizing Washington's position: "Things are going to change," describing Cuba as "an unacceptable situation 90 miles from our shores."
Understanding the Energy Crisis in Cuba
What did Rubio say about the oil blockade against Cuba?
Rubio stated that there is no oil blockade against Cuba as such, claiming that Cuba used to receive free oil from Venezuela, which they resold for cash. He attributed the current energy crisis to the collapse of Venezuelan supplies.
How did Díaz-Canel respond to Rubio's claims?
Díaz-Canel countered by expressing surprise at the accusations of Cuban incompetence, arguing that the U.S. government has actively sought to destroy the Cuban economy by investing significant resources and political capital.
What actions has Trump taken regarding Cuba's energy situation?
Trump signed several executive orders, including one that declared Cuba an extraordinary threat and imposed tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba. Later, he lifted some of these tariffs for humanitarian reasons and allowed a Russian oil shipment to the island.