Marco Rubio Delivers Message in Spanish Blaming Cuba's 'Unimaginable Hardships' on Communist Leadership

Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a Spanish-language message to Cubans on Wednesday blaming the island's "unimaginable hardships" on the country's communist leadership and military-controlled economy, marking the first time he has directly addressed the Cuban population since becoming the top U.S. diplomat.

Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants who grew up in Miami and has long been one of the most prominent Cuban-American voices in U.S. politics, used the speech to argue that Cuba's economic collapse is the result of corruption and centralized control rather than a lack of natural resources or external pressure.

"The real reason you don't have electricity, fuel, or food is because those who control your country have plundered billions of dollars, but nothing has been used to help the people," Rubio said in the video message released on Cuba's Independence Day and hours before an event in Miami's Freedom Tower, which many expect to be the showcase to announce criminal charges against Cuba ex president and Fidel Castro's brother, Raúl Castro.

Rubio focused much of his remarks on GAESA, the military-linked conglomerate founded under the Castro era that controls large parts of Cuba's tourism, banking, retail and remittance sectors. "Cuba is not controlled by any 'revolution.' Cuba is controlled by GAESA," Rubio said, adding that ordinary Cubans are asked to continue making "sacrifices" while elites maintain control over the economy.

The remarks came as Cuba faces one of its deepest economic crises in decades. Earlier this month, Cuban Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy acknowledged on state television that the country had exhausted its reserves of diesel and fuel oil, worsening nationwide blackouts. Some areas of Havana have reportedly experienced power outages lasting more than 20 hours a day.

Rubio has argued that Cuba has the resources to prosper. In an interview with Fox News last week he said:

"They have significant mineral deposits in Cuba, some of the best rare earth minerals in the world. They have an incredible opportunity for tourism and very rich farmland. Cuba should not be a poor country. Its people should not be suffering from hunger"

During that interview Rubio also pointed to the success of Cuban migrants abroad. "The only place in the world where Cubans seem unable to thrive and succeed is in Cuba," he said.

The Cuban government has rejected Rubio's claims before, blaming the island's economic difficulties on decades of U.S. sanctions and the tightening of restrictions under the Trump administration. Cuban officials have also linked the worsening fuel crisis to declining oil shipments from Venezuela after the U.S. capture of Nicolás Maduro earlier this year.

Rubio dismissed accusations that Washington is imposing punitive measures on Havana during a March interview with Al Jazeera, arguing instead that Cuba was no longer receiving "free Venezuelan oil anymore."