The United States has labelled Cuba a “national security threat,” with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying prospects for a peaceful agreement with Havana are slim.
His remarks came a day after Washington formally charged Cuba’s former president, Raúl Castro, with murder over the 1996 incident in which Cuban fighter jets shot down two civilian aircraft, killing US nationals.
Rubio stressed that while the US still prefers diplomacy, President Donald Trump retains the right and responsibility to defend the country against perceived threats.
In response, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez dismissed Rubio’s claims as false, insisting Cuba has never posed a threat to the United States. He also accused Washington of seeking to escalate tensions.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Rubio said diplomatic engagement “remains our preference with Cuba,” but added: “I’m just being honest with you, you know, the likelihood of that happening, given who we’re dealing with right now, is not high.”
He further accused Cuba of being “one of the leading sponsors of terrorism in the entire region,” a charge Rodríguez strongly rejected in a post on X, where he also warned against what he described as attempts to provoke military confrontation.
Rodríguez criticised the US government for what he called “ruthlessly and systematically” targeting Cuba, while insisting the island nation poses no security threat.
Cuba is currently grappling with a worsening fuel shortage, intensified by what it describes as an effective US oil blockade.
The crisis has led to prolonged blackouts and food shortages across the country in recent months.
Rubio said Havana had accepted a US offer of $100m (£74.4m) in humanitarian assistance amid the worsening conditions.
The Trump administration has maintained sustained pressure on Cuba and has openly discussed the possibility of regime change.
The indictment of Raúl Castro over the 1996 downing of the aircraft has further heightened tensions, with US officials framing it as part of broader accountability efforts.
Asked how the US would secure Castro’s appearance in court, Rubio declined to provide details, saying: “I’m not going to talk about how we’re going to get him here, if we were trying to get him here, why would I say to the media what our plans are about that?”
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche separately said the US “expect he will show up here, by his own will or another way”.
In a separate development, Rubio announced on X that US immigration authorities had detained Adys Lastres Morera, the sister of a senior official in a Cuban military-run conglomerate.
She was accused of supporting Havana’s government while living in Florida and is now in custody pending deportation proceedings.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump described Cuba as a “failed country,” adding that his administration was pursuing a humanitarian approach despite tensions.
He said Cuban-Americans “want to go back to their country” and help rebuild it, adding: “Other presidents have looked at this for 50, 60 years doing something and it looks like I’ll be the one that does it, so I would be happy to do it.”
