Rubio: Cuba Has Direct Impact on US National Security

Washington (ANTARA) - Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that Cuba directly affects the national security of the United States given its geographical proximity. “Cuba matters to us because it is 90 miles from our shores and has a direct impact on our national security,” Rubio told reporters. One of the alleged threats emanating from Cuba towards the US is mass migration, the US foreign minister said. Washington is prepared to do whatever is necessary to bring about positive change in Cuba, he stated. In recent months, Washington has increased sanctions pressure on the island. Earlier in January, US President Donald Trump signed an order permitting the imposition of tariffs on imports from countries supplying oil to Cuba, and also declared a state of emergency over alleged security threats from the island nation. The move has further exacerbated fuel shortages in Cuba, thereby impacting transport, food production, healthcare services, and education.