On Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel's military threats with a simple remark: "I don't think much of what he has to say," he told the press at the State Department in Washington.
The comment came during a press session before his bilateral meeting with New Zealand's Foreign Minister, Winston Peters. A journalist had inquired about Díaz-Canel's warnings made earlier that day in an interview with Newsweek magazine.
Escalating Tensions Between the U.S. and Cuba
During his first interview with a U.S. media outlet since 2023, Díaz-Canel threatened an armed response to any military action from Washington: "We will always strive to avoid war. We will always work for peace. But if military aggression occurs, we will retaliate, fight, and defend ourselves."
The Cuban leader invoked the doctrine of "war of the entire people," which involves massive civilian participation, warning that any intervention would cause immeasurable losses for both nations.
Verbal Irony and Diplomatic Moves
Adding a touch of irony, Díaz-Canel used a phrase strikingly similar to Rubio's in the same Newsweek interview to describe President Donald Trump: "I don't think much of what he has to say." Within hours, Rubio returned the verbal snub, creating a symmetrical exchange that was hard to miss.
Díaz-Canel's threats come amid a steady escalation of tensions between Washington and Havana since January 2026. That’s when Trump signed Executive Order 14380, labeling the Cuban regime an extraordinary and unusual threat to national security and imposing tariffs on countries supplying oil to the island.
Impact on Cuba's Crisis
This measure has worsened Cuba's already dire energy situation, leading to power outages lasting up to twenty hours a day, medicine shortages, and soaring prices.
Meanwhile, Trump made a series of statements about Cuba in March: on March 16, he said, "I will have the honor of taking Cuba"; on March 27, he remarked, "Cuba is next, but pretend I didn't say that"; and on March 30, he predicted that the regime "will fail soon." However, on March 13, he explicitly ruled out direct military actions.
Diplomatically, Rubio has held at least half a dozen meetings with Cuban representatives, including Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, Raúl Castro's grandson, bypassing official Communist Party channels.
On March 17, Trump confirmed that Cuba was in talks with Rubio and announced they would "do something very soon." Washington's central condition is Díaz-Canel's resignation, which he rejects as "non-negotiable."
On March 28, Rubio was unwavering in stating the administration's stance: "Their system of government has to change."
Understanding the Political Climate Between Cuba and the U.S.
What did Marco Rubio say about Díaz-Canel's threats?
Marco Rubio dismissed Díaz-Canel's military threats, saying, "I don't think much of what he has to say."
What is Executive Order 14380?
Executive Order 14380, signed by Donald Trump, declared the Cuban regime an extraordinary and unusual threat to U.S. national security and imposed tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba.
How has the U.S. policy affected Cuba's energy situation?
The U.S. policy has exacerbated Cuba's energy crisis, resulting in power outages up to twenty hours a day, medicine shortages, and increased prices.