Marco Rubio Meets US Diplomatic Chief in Cuba to Assess Island Crisis

Marco Rubio met Mike Hammer in Washington to assess Cuba’s political and socioeconomic situation and review pressure measures imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration.

The US Embassy in Havana said Hammer briefed Rubio on conditions in Cuba and reaffirmed Washington’s support for civil liberties and the Cuban people’s aspirations to live “with freedom and dignity.” The meeting also covered the implementation of $100 million in humanitarian assistance approved by the White House.

The funds are being sent through independent organizations and religious groups, including Cáritas. Washington says the arrangement is intended to ensure that the assistance reaches the Cuban population directly rather than being administered by the island’s government.

The bilateral relationship has remained highly strained following the January capture of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela. The article says the United States then imposed an energy blockade on Cuba, worsening recession and shortages, while the Trump administration warned of possible broader action.

Havana has rejected Washington’s pressure. The Cuban government says the country’s self-determination and political future belong exclusively to its people, and accuses the United States of using punitive and interventionist measures to create conditions for a military intervention.

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with freedom and dignity