US Secretary of State Marco Rubio marked Cuba's Independence Day with a video address in Spanish to the people of the island, in which he blamed its communist leadership for "their unimaginable hardships", Axios reports.
For the first time, Rubio has addressed the Cuban population directly as secretary of state. It is part of the Trump administration's multi-layered pressure campaign targeting Havana.
"The real reason you don't have electricity, fuel or food is because those who control your country have looted billions of dollars, but none of it has been used to help the people," Rubio said in his speech.
Later today, the U.S. Department of Justice will file an indictment against Cuba's de facto leader, Raul Castro, for allegedly ordering the downing of two Miami-based rescue planes in 1996.
Rubio's speech focused on the Cuban military-business conglomerate known as GAESA - founded by Castro - which has assets worth about $18 billion and controls 70% of the Cuban economy through its control of hotels, construction, banks, stores and money transfers from the United States.
Rubio pitted the wealthy elites who run GAESA against the lives of poor Cubans, in an effort to show that revolutionary communism is a kleptocratic fraud.
"Cuba is not controlled by any "revolution". Cuba is controlled by GAESA," Rubio stressed.
"The only role the so-called "government" plays is to demand that you continue to make "sacrifices" and repress anyone who dares to complain.
He added: "Today, from media to entertainment, from the private sector to politics, and from music to sports, Cubans have reached the top of almost ALL industries, in all countries, except one... Cuba.".
The government and supporters of Cuba blame the island's problems on the long-standing US embargo, the new sanctions of the Trump administration, and the lack of oil, which it received for free from Venezuela before the US captured its leader Nicolás Maduro on January 3.
"Acting as a world policeman and in flagrant violation of international law and the fundamental principles of free trade in goods and services, the sovereign right of all countries that have or wish to maintain economic, commercial, and financial relations with Cuba is being explicitly and directly attacked," an editorial in state media on May 8 said. which criticized Trump's recent executive order imposing new sanctions.
At Rubio's suggestion, Trump's executive order was issued on May 1 because it coincides with the communist International Labor Day.
The Cuban economy and government have never been in such an advanced state of decline as they are now. Food and fuel are scarce. Electricity is available for only two hours a day in some places.
"President Trump is proposing a new relationship between the United States and Cuba. But it must be directly with you, the Cuban people, not with GAESA," Rubio insisted.
The Trump administration is offering "$100 million in food and medicine for you, the people," he added, but stressed that it must be distributed by "the Catholic Church or other trusted charitable groups. Not stolen from GAESA to sell in one of their stores."
Meanwhile, U.S. officials said the Cuban government has found enough money to buy at least 300 combat drones from Russia and China in the event of hostilities.
Iranian, Russian, and Chinese military and intelligence personnel are stationed in Cuba.
The Trump administration is likely to announce more indictments of other Cuban officials, as well as more sanctions.
Rubio's speech, however, made no mention of this, instead offering "to you, ordinary Cubans, not just GAESA," the right to own a business, whether it's a gas station or a media company.
"A new Cuba," Rubio argued, would be a place where people could vote for their government officials and "where you can complain about an inefficient system without fear of going to jail or being forced to leave your island".
"It's not impossible. All of this exists in the Bahamas, in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and even just 90 miles away, in Florida. If owning your own business and voting rights are possible around Cuba, why shouldn't it be possible for you in Cuba?".