Marco Rubio Warns Cuban People Are Suffering Amid Deepening Economic Collapse

Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently talked about Cuba.

Cuba has been under U.S. sanctions for the past 66 years. In recent times, the country’s situation has worsened. Rubio said the U.S. government, under President Donald Trump, was informed about the incident that occurred off the coast of Cuba.

Officials shared the information, and the U.S. government is cross-checking the facts.

The U.S. Embassy in Havana is working to determine whether any U.S. residents were on the boat. The Department of Homeland Security and the Coast Guard are also involved in the matter.

SECRETARY RUBIO: The Cuban people are suffering more than at any time in recent history. This is the worst economic climate that they have faced. And it is the authorities there in that government who are responsible. pic.twitter.com/rUZ0eS8xQq

— Department of State (@StateDept) February 26, 2026

Since there is limited information available about the situation in Cuba, Rubio said he does not have much to add until more details are known.

Rubio also addressed the financial situation, saying it is not the fault of small businesses but of the government.

It has long been legal for the United States to sell products to small businesses in the country.

Its private sector is small and weak and has struggled to help boost the country’s economy. To strengthen the economy, larger-scale investment would be needed.

Because the country has not had a strong economy, it has struggled to grow its private sector and continues to face economic challenges.

Rubio also said the country has survived in part because of assistance from other countries. He noted that the Soviet Union provided fuel and oil at no cost.

However, in 1990, the Soviet Union faced its own crisis, and the assistance to Cuba came to an end.

found a forum of soviet veterans in cuba pic.twitter.com/7zsdVPLlNo

— Славян (@SlavAesthetics) July 15, 2025

That led to the collapse of country’s economy, and the country faced severe hardship. Before Cuba could completely collapse, another source of support emerged in the form of Hugo Chávez of Venezuela, who began supplying oil again, and that continued for many years.

After several years, when Chávez’s support slowed, the Venezuelan government continued providing crude oil. Some of that oil was used in the country, while the rest was sold internationally to generate cash.

That money was not used to help the Cuban people but instead went to their government and its military-run companies. Rubio referenced this history to argue that Cuba has long been economically weak and dependent on other countries. He said that with such assistance now largely absent, the country is facing one of its most difficult periods.