(United States, 12th) On the 11th, US President Trump reposted a social media post, suggesting that Cuban-American Secretary of State Rubio should become Cuba’s next leader. This post triggered a strong backlash from the Cuban government, denouncing the US as a “criminal and out-of-control hegemon.”
On his “Truth Social” platform, Trump reposted an X platform user Cliff Smith’s post on the 8th saying “Rubio will become Cuba’s president,” and commented: “Sounds good!” Reportedly, this user, who claims to be a “conservative Californian,” is not well known and has fewer than 500 followers on the X platform.
Rubio was born to a family of Cuban immigrants and has long held a tough stance towards the regimes in Havana and Caracas. Although Trump’s comment carried his usual tone of banter, against the backdrop of US military involvement in the Venezuelan situation, these remarks have been interpreted by the outside world as psychological warfare and political intimidation directed at Cuba’s current regime.
The Cuban government has not yet formally responded to Trump’s suggestion that an American citizen could rule Cuba, but shortly after Trump’s post, Cuban Foreign Minister Rodriguez hit back forcefully on social media, insisting that “justice is on Cuba’s side.”