Rubio offers Cubans "new path" in video address
Summary
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the Cuban people in Spanish, criticizing Cuba's ruling business group GAESA for corruption and offering $100 million in food and medicine aid. He said the aid must go directly to Cubans, not the elite, and promoted a new relationship under President Trump that supports ordinary Cubans owning businesses.Key Facts
- Marco Rubio made a video message in Spanish directly to the Cuban people.
- He called out GAESA, a Cuban business group controlling 70% of the economy with $18 billion in assets.
- GAESA profits from various sectors, including hotels and remittances, but does not share money with ordinary Cubans.
- Cuba is facing a large power blackout after U.S. actions stopped oil flow from Venezuela, whose leader Nicolás Maduro was removed by the U.S. in January.
- Rubio said Cuba’s power and food problems are due to corruption, not just the U.S. oil blockade.
- The U.S. offered $100 million in supplies to Cuba, which Rubio says should be delivered through churches or charities to avoid theft by GAESA.
- Rubio emphasized that President Trump wants a new relationship with Cuba, focusing on regular citizens being able to run businesses.
- The announcement coincided with an expected U.S. indictment of Raúl Castro related to Cuba shooting down humanitarian planes in 1996.
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