Cuba's foreign minister accuses Marco Rubio of lying to Americans to justify action against Cuba
Cuba's foreign minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla called Secretary of State Marco Rubio a liar on Tuesday and accused him of intentionally deceiving the American people.
"In all areas, however, he lies, he lies on and on. He continuously intends to deceive the public opinion in the U.S., the U.S. Congress and the international community," Rodriguez said in an exclusive interview with Fox News anchor and senior foreign policy correspondent Gillian Turner on "The Story."
The Trump administration is intensifying its economic pressure campaign against Cuba, following a U.S. grand jury indictment of former Cuban President Raul Castro — a move Rodriguez condemned as a violation of international law.
"Why did it wait for 30 years to do this?" he asked. "We will have to ask, what is the ethical value? What is the legal value behind these allegations right now? Or if this is part of the political narrative aimed at manipulating the U.S. public opinion to testify a military aggression against Cuba."
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Cuba's minister of Foreign Affairs said Rubio, America’s top diplomat, is driving a dangerous political narrative designed to manipulate American public opinion and muster support for aggression against Cuba.
He also rejected accusations that Cuba poses a national security threat to the United States, calling it illogical and insisting the communist nation does not want to be an enemy.
"Cuba is a small island — 100,000 square kilometers and 10 million inhabitants," Rodriguez said.
"Based on what logic, what would be the common sense behind the idea that Cuba could threaten a nuclear superpower?" he continued. "We will have to ask the Secretary of State if he has any evidence... I have heard him lying on and on regarding this issue."
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Cuba reportedly has an arsenal of military drones provided by Russia and China, which the United States considers a threat.
Rodriguez said it is "unbelievable" that U.S. officials would portray Cuba as a threat while simultaneously threatening military aggression and regime change.
He condemned the United States' oil blockade on Cuba that has sparked massive blackouts across most of the country since January.
"The Secretary of State is one of the main masterminds behind the military threat against Cuba, the energy blockade," he said.
In a video message addressed to the Cuban people on May 20, Rubio pledged $100 million in assistance for the crisis and blamed Cuba’s government for the island’s ongoing blackouts.
Rodriguez described it as cruel and said it has caused significant humanitarian damage to the island nation.
The Cuban diplomat also addressed President Donald Trump referring to Cuba as a failing nation, to which he questioned why the United States would economically strangle what it perceives as an already struggling economy.
"If the Cuban state would be an inefficient state, and the Cuban economy would not be viable, what would be the use for an executive order by the president of the United States issued on January the 29th, declaring a complete energy blockade against Cuba? What would be the need?" he asked.
Rodriguez argued that Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, uses his Cuban ancestry for political benefit.
"He was not born in Cuba. He does not know Cuba. He knows nothing about Cuba."
Fox News has reached out to the State Department for comment.