U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticized Cuba's government on November 10, 2026, accusing it of deliberately maintaining the country at a "third world" economic level while preventing political freedom and ensuring the population remains entirely dependent on state authorities.
Rubio made the remarks during a press conference in Paris, where he was attending a Group of Seven foreign ministers summit.
"What the regime tries to do and has always done is permit fair economic activity to situate the country at a 'third world' level, but avoiding falling into a 'fourth world'; all of this without losing control over the population," Rubio said, according to multiple news reports.
Rubio characterized Cuba's economic model as one that "does not function" and accused Cuban authorities of making the population "depend 100%" on state control. He emphasized that the regime prioritizes maintaining political control over improving living standards for ordinary Cubans.
The secretary of state defended the U.S. economic embargo against Cuba, citing the absence of political freedom on the island. Rubio, whose parents fled Cuba, has long been a vocal critic of the Cuban government and a proponent of maintaining sanctions pressure on Havana.
The U.S. embargo, first imposed in 1962 following the Cuban Revolution, remains a central point of contention between the two countries.