US President Donald Trump has shared a social media post that implies US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, should assume leadership in Cuba.
Trump has reposted a message on his Truth Social platform from user Cliff Smith, originally posted on January 8, which stated, “Marco Rubio will be president of Cuba,” along with a crying-laughing emoji.
Trump captioned the reshared post, “Sounds good to me!”
The unknown user, who describes himself in his biography as a “conservative Californian,” has less than 500 followers.
Trump’s repost comes a week after US forces captured Venezuela’s President, Nicolas Maduro, during a nighttime operation in Caracas that resulted in the deaths of several Venezuelan and Cuban security personnel.
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Trump urges Cuba to ‘make a deal’
In addition, Trump called on Cuba on Sunday to “make a deal” or face unspecified repercussions, cautioning that the flow of Venezuelan oil and funds to Havana will now cease.
“THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA – ZERO!” the POTUS posts on Truth Social. “I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.”
Rubio also serves as the US national security adviser and chief archivist.
Cuba rejects Trump’s claims
In a strong rebuttal, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez countered Trump’s remarks in a post on X, asserting that the island has never received any financial or material compensation for the security services it has rendered to other nations.
Rodriguez further accused the US of acting in a “criminal” manner that jeopardizes global peace, dismissing the idea that Havana exchanged security for oil and underscoring Cuba’s sovereign right to engage in energy trade as it deems appropriate.
He stated that, in contrast to the US, Cuba does not depend on mercenarism, coercion, or military threats in its interactions with other nations. Rodriguez highlighted that, like any sovereign state, Cuba possesses the right to import fuel from countries willing to sell it and to conduct trade free from interference or subjugation to unilateral US sanctions.
“Right and justices are on Cuba’s side,” he declared, accusing the US of acting as a criminal and uncontrollable hegemon that endangers peace and security, not only in Cuba and the region but globally