Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the Trump administration is executing an unprecedented pressure campaign against Cuba, arguing that the government has run out of options to evade U.S. sanctions as Washington prepares additional punitive measures.
In an interview with Axios, Rubio described the administration's strategy as one designed to eliminate what he called every possible "escape valve" available to Havana. "What we're trying to teach them is there are no escape valves," Rubio told the outlet, adding that each time the Cuban government develops new mechanisms to bypass restrictions, the United States moves to shut them down.
The campaign represents one of the most aggressive U.S. efforts against Cuba in decades. Since last year, the Trump administration has taken roughly two dozen separate actions targeting the island's economy, government officials and international business partners.
Those measures include sanctions against 40 entities, ranging from foreign companies operating in Cuba to state-run fuel, banking and mining conglomerates, as well as penalties against at least 38 individuals through economic sanctions, visa restrictions and residency revocations.
Washington has also expanded diplomatic efforts aimed at persuading other governments to end participation in Cuba's overseas medical missions, which the State Department characterizes as a form of human trafficking.
At the same time, federal agencies have issued reports criticizing Cuba's human rights record, counterterrorism cooperation and alleged efforts to promote anti-American political activity abroad.
Rubio argued the strategy is producing tangible results as Cuba struggles through one of the worst economic crises in its modern history. The island continues to face severe shortages of food, medicine, fuel and foreign currency, problems the administration attributes to decades of communist economic management compounded by sanctions.
According to Axios, Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero recently announced the broadest expansion of private-sector activity since the 1959 revolution, a move Rubio dismissed as an attempt to buy time rather than implement genuine reforms.
"Every time they create a new mechanism in which they try to get out of the noose, we just close it off," Rubio said. "They certainly can't wait us out. Certainly this isn't going to go away for the next 2½ years."
Administration officials say foreign businesses have increasingly withdrawn from Cuba because of the threat of U.S. sanctions. At the same time, American companies have begun filling some gaps in sectors such as fuel distribution. That shift has contributed to the growth of an informal capitalist marketplace, even as financial restrictions make transactions with Havana increasingly difficult.
Axios cited one businessman involved in the fuel trade who claimed some Cuban entrepreneurs have resorted to transporting gold jewelry to Miami to facilitate business deals because conventional banking channels remain largely inaccessible.
Data from the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council shows U.S. fuel exports to Cuba reached $96 million during the first half of the year, with more than half of that total occurring in June as supply shortages intensified.
"Trump and Rubio have initiated the most effective sanctions program against a target country than any of their predecessors," John Kavulich, president of the nonprofit council, told Axios.
Rubio also pointed to the collapse of Venezuela's long-standing support for Cuba as a turning point. Caracas once supplied the island with up to 100,000 barrels of oil per day, allowing Cuba to meet domestic demand while generating revenue by reselling surplus crude on international markets.
"For the first time in Cuba's history, Cuba lacks two things they've always relied on: an outside sponsor and the U.S.'s lack of attention on it as a top priority," Rubio said. "They're not going to get a sponsor in the next 2½ years."
The administration's strategy extends beyond sanctions. Additional lawsuits are being filed under the LIBERTAD Act following a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that reinforced the ability of U.S. nationals to sue companies accused of profiting from property confiscated during Cuba's revolution.
The law also codifies the U.S. embargo, which can only be lifted after Cuba meets conditions including releasing political prisoners, guaranteeing civil liberties and holding free elections.
Axios reported that Rubio has held discussions behind the scenes with Raul Castro's grandson as the United States quietly explores possible pathways for political transition on the island. U.S. officials are also attempting to identify other Cuban figures who could eventually participate in reform efforts, though they acknowledge the country's tightly controlled political system makes that difficult.
Looking ahead, Rubio said the administration has no intention of easing pressure and confirmed additional sanctions were imposed this week, with more expected in the coming months.
"One of the things we've lost in American foreign policy and geopolitics is the concept of patience and persistence," Rubio said. "My level of confidence is that when this administration is over, at a minimum, Cuba will be on an irreversible glide path toward a different future."
