For more than 60 years, Cuba has struggled under US economic sanctions and its own government’s missteps. With Sen. Marco Rubio set to become the next US Secretary of State, the already struggling Cuban economy may soon face even more hardships.
Rubio, a son of Cuban exiles, has long been an advocate for increasing the US trade embargo on Cuba. As Secretary of State, he will be well-positioned to further tighten the screws on Cuba, potentially pushing the island to its breaking point.
“Rubio has reached the pinnacle of power and position in the US government that he has never held before and he is going to be putting it to Cuba to prove his reputation as an extremist hardliner on Cuba,” said Peter Kornbluh, co-author of “Back Channel to Cuba: The Hidden History of Secret Negotiations Between Washington and Havana.”
Cuba has been a central issue in Rubio’s career, dating back to his early days as a city commissioner in West Miami. As Secretary of State, he could run point on devising additional economic sanctions on Cuba, increasing funding for dissidents and pro-democracy programs, and further restricting US travel to the island.
The Cuban government has shrugged off the threat of further US sanctions, but has also made it clear that it will not compromise on issues such as holding multi-party elections or releasing political prisoners.
The worsening economic reality on the ground in Cuba is stark. A recent blackout, caused by a power failure at an aging, Soviet-era plant, was the third island-wide outage in as many months.
While Rubio’s appointment could have significant implications for the Cuban economy, it remains to be seen how his policies will impact the island.
