US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has described Cuba as a threat to America’s national security, while Cuba has rejected the allegations and accused the United States of escalating military tensions.

Washington: Tensions between the United States and Cuba are on the rise once again. The situation intensified after Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla accused US Secretary of State Marco Rubio of provoking military conflict. Rubio, meanwhile, explicitly labeled Cuba a “threat to the national security” of the United States.

US Allegations Against Cuba
The United States has accused former Cuban President Raul Castro of ordering the shoot-down of two American aircraft in 1996, resulting in the deaths of US citizens. In addition, Washington alleges that Cuba continues to support terrorism and that its state policies directly oppose American interests.

According to a BBC report, Rubio noted that the United States still desires a diplomatic solution, while US President Donald Trump characterized Cuba as a failed state, adding that his administration wants to provide humanitarian assistance directly to its people.

Cuba Calls the Allegations False
Cuba firmly rejected the claims, maintaining it has never posed a threat to US security. Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez called Rubio’s accusations entirely false and asserted that the United States is deliberately trying to escalate military tensions.

Reporting from the Anadolu Agency highlighted that the Cuban foreign minister turned the blame back on Washington, stating that it is actually the United States that has allowed terrorist activities against Cuba to originate from within its own borders, while simultaneously providing shelter to several accused individuals.

Economic Crisis and Rising Tensions
As Cuba grapples with a severe domestic economic crisis, this sharp exchange of rhetoric is further straining US-Cuba relations.
The island nation is currently dealing with critical fuel shortages, prolonged power outages, and widespread food scarcity. Recent reports indicate that the United States has tightened economic sanctions and restricted fuel imports over the past few months—moves Cuba argues are intended to weaken its economy and manufacture public frustration.

Foreign policy experts believe that these compounding economic sanctions, intense political confrontations, and harsh diplomatic statements will likely worsen Cuba’s already fragile economic stability.

sources- BBC , Anadolu Agency