The Lies of Mr. Rubio 4

The re-designation f Cuba on yet another arbitrary list generated by the U.S. State Department, which acts as a self-appointed judge to target countries it deems adversaries, may have been expected, but that does not make it any less worthy of scrutiny.

This time, it is the so-called "List of Countries Not Fully Cooperating in the Fight Against Terrorism" (NFCC), a decision bearing the signature of Secretary of State Mr. Rubio.

True to form, Mr. Rubio once again lied to justify this arbitrary move. Just a year ago, in May 2024, then-Secretary of State Blinken removed Cuba from this very list, reasoning that U.S. security agencies, the entities responsible for evaluating a country’s level of cooperation, had confirmed there were no grounds for Cuba’s inclusion.

No extensive additional explanations were published, but they were apparently enough for the Biden administration, which never showed real interest in normalizing relations with Cuba and instead maintained a consistently hostile policy, to acknowledge an obvious truth: that blaming Cubans for alleged ties to terrorism was unjust, especially for a population historically victimized by such violence.

Yet, as if by magic or more accurately, by malice, Mr. Rubio now claims the exact opposite in May 2025. To justify this, he dredges up the tired argument about U.S. fugitives allegedly being sheltered in Cuba, without providing a shred of evidence.

It is hard to imagine a more cynical move coming from a high-ranking official of a country known for harboring not just fugitives but confessed criminals behind anti-Cuban terrorist acts, from Batista’s torturers to Luis Posada Carriles and his ilk, or those who have openly attacked Cuban diplomatic missions with shocking impunity.

Cuba never belonged on this list, or any other of its kind. The revolutionary government has repeatedly stressed that the justifications for its inclusion are not only false but that it does not recognize any right or authority of the U.S. government to conduct such exercises, which have the unspoken goal of punishing the Revolution for its defiance.

Regarding this latest attack, as Cuba’s foreign minister stated, the U.S. should instead create a "list of lying, corrupt politicians paid by special interests", a list that would undoubtedly be topped by the Secretary of State and his Miami mafia clique.

Just a couple of weeks ago, Mr. Rubio was at it again. He fabricated a story about a daring Rambo-style unit rescuing four members of the far-right Venezuelan group Vente Venezuela, who were supposedly holed up in the Argentine embassy in Caracas, then under Brazilian custody. Yet, footage later showed these supposedly rescued individuals calmly waiting in Maiquetía International Airport. The truth is, arrangements had been made with the Venezuelan government for their safe departure, with no ninja commandos ordered by the Secretary of State involved.

Meanwhile, the real problem for Mr. Rubio remains the erratic foreign policy of President Trump, who treats international affairs like a reality TV show. This keeps Rubio on edge, forcing him into the unenviable position of flip-flopping like a weathervane based on his boss’s whims.

We have seen this on immigration, where his stance has twisted like a circus contortionist. Remember, Rubio owes his political career to the Bush clan, and George H.W. Bush himself signed the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act, granting amnesty to millions of undocumented immigrants. Even when Bush Jr. took a harder line, Rubio positioned himself as a more "inclusive" voice within the GOP, a far cry from the Trumpist rhetoric he now parrots.

Rubio, simultaneously overseeing the State Department and the National Security Council, an unprecedented consolidation of power in U.S. history, faces enormous challenges in a world increasingly hostile to the United States, whether Washington admits it or not. Many analysts believe this bureaucratic overload is another Trump maneuver to set Rubio up for failure, ensuring his political downfall at any moment.

It is not enough that he is tasked with implementing impossible fantasies like reclaiming the Panama Canal, annexing Greenland, or worse, turning Canada into the 51st state, all part of Trump’s theatrically defended foreign agenda.

Now, he is expected to perform another miracle: pacifying the Middle East while simultaneously arming and financing the region’s most belligerent actor, the rogue state of Israel. Elsewhere, he must navigate the Ukraine war, clashing with NATO allies over nearly irreconcilable differences.

As for the absurd confrontation with the People’s Republic of China, which has recently taken a more rational turn, Rubio has been sidelined. The issue was handed to economic officials, with strict instructions to avoid political fairy tales, likely a warning to someone who still peddles the myth of Chinese military bases in Cuba.

Rubio is, as recent events confirm, a victim of his own hypocrisy and lack of principles, even far-right ones. The MAGA base still sees him as a closeted "globalist", their term for proponents of open foreign policy. To make matters worse, Trump himself has hinted at Rubio as a potential rival to Vice President Vance in the 2028 presidential race, with Vance being the more "authentic" MAGA candidate.

Rubio is being watched closely. So far, the prevailing sense is that if he continues on this path, he will easily win the title of the Empire’s most dishonest clown, a highly contested honor in these times. This saga will continue.

Translated by Sergio A. Paneque Díaz/ CubaSí Translation Staff