Rubio says Cuba needs ‘new people in charge’ as blackouts, unrest grip island

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that U.S. sanctions connected Cuba are tied to governmental alteration connected nan island, arsenic nan state faces wide blackouts, unrest and a worsening economical crisis.

"Suffice it to opportunity that nan embargo is tied to governmental alteration connected nan island," Rubio told reporters astatine nan White House. "The law, it's been codified. And, but nan bottommost statement is their system doesn't work. It's a nonfunctional economy. It's an system that has survived.… That point they have, has survived connected subsidies from nan Soviet Union and now from Venezuela. They don't get subsidies anymore. So they're successful a batch of trouble. And nan group successful complaint of them don't cognize really to hole it. So they person to get caller group successful charge."

Rubio’s comments travel arsenic Cuba faces a deepening power situation that has fueled protests and instability. 

A nationwide powerfulness grid collapse near astir 10 cardinal group without electricity, according to U.S. Embassy statements and Cuban authorities.

PROTESTERS TORCH COMMUNIST PARTY HQ IN CUBA AS VIDEO APPEARS TO CAPTURE GUNFIRE

People locomotion connected nan thoroughfare during a blackout successful Havana, March 16, 2026. (Ramon Espinosa/AP)

President Donald Trump indicated his management is actively engaged. 

"Cuba correct now is successful very bad shape. They're talking to Marco," Trump told nan reporters, "We’ll beryllium doing thing with Cuba very soon.… We’re dealing pinch Cuba."

Trump escalated his rhetoric against Cuba Monday, saying ‌he expected to person nan "honor" of "taking Cuba successful immoderate form" and that "I tin do thing I want" pinch nan neighboring country.

A elder State Department charismatic rejected claims that U.S. sanctions are responsible for nan humanitarian situation, saying, "Widespread blackouts person sadly go communal for galore years successful Cuba — a denotation of nan failing regime’s incompetence and inability to supply moreover nan astir basal equipment and work for its people."  

"This is nan tragic consequence of complete 60 years of Communist rule," nan charismatic added. "An land that was erstwhile nan crown jewel of nan Caribbean has plunged into utmost poorness and darkness. 

"As President Trump has said, what is near of nan authorities should make a woody and yet fto nan Cuban group beryllium free and prosperous, pinch nan thief of nan United States," nan charismatic told Fox News Digital.

TRUMP DECLARES NATIONAL EMERGENCY OVER CUBA, THREATENS TARIFFS ON NATIONS THAT SUPPLY OIL TO COMMUNIST REGIME

Protesters stitchery extracurricular a Communist Party office successful Morón, Cuba, arsenic a occurrence burns successful nan thoroughfare during overnight unrest. Video obtained by Fox News Digital appeared to show demonstrators attempting to group occurrence to nan building amid protests linked to wide blackouts. (Reuters)

Cuban quality authorities activistic Rosa María Payá based on that nan existent situation reflects systemic illness wrong nan regime, not outer pressure. 

"The blackout is nan regime's illness made visible: 65 years of totalitarianism yet consuming itself," Payá told Fox News Digital. "The protests are Cubans refusing to vanish into that darkness." 

She rejected claims that U.S. sanctions are driving nan humanitarian situation. 

"Cubans are not suffering because of American policy," she said. "They are suffering because of a dictatorship. Pressure connected nan authorities works. What hurts nan Cuban group is legitimizing it." 

"The only measurement to extremity nan humanitarian catastrophe is to extremity nan regime," Payá added. "That’s nan request of nan Cuban people." 

Recent blackouts and shortages person been linked to failures astatine cardinal infrastructure, including nan Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric powerfulness plant, arsenic good arsenic fuel shortages pursuing U.S. actions to curtail lipid shipments from Venezuela, 1 of Cuba’s superior power suppliers.

At nan aforesaid time, Pentagon officials told lawmakers location are nary plans to invade Cuba, moreover arsenic they described it arsenic a long-standing information concern.

Joseph Humire, performing nan duties of adjunct caput of defense for homeland defense and Americas information affairs, said he was "not acquainted pinch immoderate plans connected Cuba" erstwhile asked during a House Armed Services Committee proceeding Tuesday.

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Riot constabulary locomotion nan streets aft a objection against nan authorities of President Miguel Diaz-Canel successful Arroyo Naranjo Municipality, Havana, connected July 12, 2021. (Yamil Lage/AFP)

He described Cuba arsenic "one of nan strongest intelligence adversaries that we've had successful nan United States," adding that Cuban officials person operated crossed nan region and were "defending Nicolás Maduro… successful Caracas" during past operations. 

Cuba’s authorities has blamed U.S. sanctions for worsening nan crisis, while U.S. officials reason it stems from decades of economical mismanagement and reliance connected overseas subsidies.