On Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio took the podium at the White House to deliver a forceful message aimed at debunking one of the Cuban regime's long-held claims: the alleged American oil blockade.
In a press briefing that made headlines, Rubio — standing in for Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who is on maternity leave after the birth of her second child — was forthright in his remarks.
"There is no oil blockade against Cuba per se. Cuba used to receive free oil from Venezuela. They were given a substantial amount of free oil. Cuba would sell about 60% of that oil for profit. It didn't even benefit the people," Rubio emphasized.
The Secretary of State clarified that the only actual "blockade" was Venezuela's decision to stop gifting crude oil to the island: "With today's oil prices, you can imagine that no one is giving away oil, especially not to a failed regime."
Identifying Cuba as a Failed State
Rubio wasn't finished. He labeled the Cuban government as a "failed state" run by "incompetent communists," echoing a statement he made in March: "The only thing worse than a communist is an incompetent communist. And that's what we have: incompetent communists running that country. They don't know how to fix it. They truly don't."
Rubio framed the situation as a national security issue for Washington: "Just 90 miles off our shores, we have a failed state that also serves as a haven for some of our adversaries. It's an unacceptable situation, and we will address it, but not today."
Although he did not announce specific measures, his warning was clear: "Things are going to change."
The Energy Context in Cuba
The energy landscape Rubio described is factual. Venezuelan oil supplies to Cuba crashed starting in January 2026, following Nicolás Maduro's capture, leaving the island with oil reserves sufficient for just four days of consumption.
Russian oil, which arrived as a partial substitute, only covers about 10% of Cuba's energy needs. This shortfall results in power outages lasting up to 25 hours a day across more than 55% of the island.
Escalating Tensions
Rubio's remarks came four days after Trump signed a new executive order expanding sanctions against the Cuban regime in the energy, defense, mining, and financial sectors. This includes secondary sanctions on foreign banks that engage with sanctioned Cuban entities.
On the same day, Trump reiterated his "obligation to do something for Cuba," claiming he had secured 94% of the Cuban vote and mentioning the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier as a pressure tactic.
The Cuban regime responded with confrontational rhetoric. Last Sunday, Miguel Díaz-Canel invoked the "War of All the People" doctrine, warning of a supposed imminent U.S. military aggression, declaring that "every Cuban man and woman has a rifle."
Insights into U.S.-Cuba Relations
Is there really an oil blockade against Cuba?
According to Marco Rubio, there is no actual oil blockade against Cuba. The cessation of free oil from Venezuela is the main factor affecting Cuba's oil supply.
Why did Venezuela stop providing free oil to Cuba?
Venezuela halted its free oil shipments to Cuba due to economic pressures and the capture of Nicolás Maduro, leading to a reevaluation of its oil distribution policies.
How does the current oil shortage affect Cuba?
The oil shortage has resulted in widespread power outages, with some areas experiencing up to 25 hours of blackouts daily, severely impacting daily life and the economy.