Marco Rubio Urges Cuban Government to Seize Opportunity for Change

In a direct message from New York, where he is attending the 81st United Nations General Assembly, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the Cuban regime this Wednesday.

Rubio emphasized that the Cuban government has "an opportunity to set their country on an irreversible path toward progress and a brighter future," but achieving this requires both political and economic freedom.

Acknowledging the Failure of the Cuban Revolution

With a firm stance, Rubio highlighted the historical failure of the Cuban system. "The Cuban Revolution has failed. It has failed for more than sixty years. It is a failure now. I believe there is recognition within the Cuban system itself that the revolution has failed," he stated.

Rubio also acknowledged that economic transformation in Cuba will neither be swift nor simple. "You can't overturn more than sixty years of mismanagement, corruption, and incompetence in six months," he warned, while underscoring that Washington remains "committed" to this process and is "open to measures that initiate that change."

Economic Realities and Investment Challenges

On the economic front, Rubio explained why no company—American or foreign—is willing to invest in Cuba under the current conditions. The Helms-Burton Act, enshrined in statute by Congress, imposes specific restrictions on U.S. investment and requires certain conditions to be met before any commercial engagement can occur.

However, beyond this legislation, Rubio pointed out the underlying issue of legal uncertainty for any global investor. "Why would I invest ten million dollars in Cuba if two years later they unilaterally change the rules, keep the money, and never return it? This has happened repeatedly in Cuba," he asserted.

His conclusion was clear: "No one is going to invest in Cuba under its current governance model. It's simply not going to happen."

The Role of the Cuban Diaspora and Global Businesses

Rubio dismissed the recently announced reforms by the regime as lacking genuine guarantees. "There is no legitimacy or credibility that this regime will meet these conditions because it never has before," he declared. The Secretary of State added that what Cuba needs is "a governance model that gives the private sector the confidence that if they invest, they will recover their money with profits."

He also highlighted the potential of the Cuban diaspora, both in the United States and elsewhere, to contribute to a future Cuba with a free and open economy, as well as the role third-country businesses could play in such a scenario.

These statements, shared by the State Department on social media, came a day after President Donald Trump labeled Cuba an "absolutely failed state" before the General Assembly, predicting that the regime would "fall," which led to the Cuban delegation walking out in protest.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla responded to Trump's remarks, dismissing them as "falsehoods and slander," and denied that formal negotiations between Washington and Havana were taking place.

This exchange is part of a maximum pressure campaign that the Trump administration maintained throughout 2026, imposing sanctions on more than 40 entities and at least 38 individuals linked to Cuba's military, energy, and financial sectors.

Rubio's position puts the onus on the regime to take the first step: "We will remain committed. We are open to measures that initiate that process of change, and it will be a process that will not be easy."