Rubio says US is hopeful ‘Cuba will choose a different path’

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed hope that Cuba's ruling government would choose a different direction, warning that those who believed they could wait out President Donald Trump's administration would face consequences if they did not alter their course. The Trump administration seeks to alter Cuba's communist government.

An oil blockade imposed by the US earlier this year has left the nation grappling with fuel shortages and power outages fueled by deteriorating infrastructure. "We are hopeful that Cuba will choose a different path," Rubio told Fox News host Sean Hannity during his appearance on the Hannity program, adding that Washington was optimistic that some individuals controlling the Cuban government would open their eyes to the reality they are facing.

Regrettably, those who continue to chant revolutionary slogans remain convinced that they can outlast this administration without making any changes or taking no action. They are mistaken and will learn the lesson the hard way if they fail to alter their approach. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez stated during the UN General Assembly on Saturday that Cuba would always be open to dialogue with Washington.

President Trump had predicted over the weekend that an agreement between the US and Cuba would be reached, and he did not anticipate military action to be required. Washington has upheld an embargo against Cuba for over six decades, and the Trump administration has intensified pressure on Havana following the US military intervention in January to remove and seize then-Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Rubio mentioned Venezuela during his Fox interview, stating that Washington was working towards establishing the conditions necessary for free and fair elections in the country as soon as possible. He did not offer a specific timeline.