Marco Rubio says US wants regime change in Cuba, admits Iran would be ‘far more complex’ than Venezuela

Want to see regime change in Cuba

When asked to rule out a US-backed regime change in Cuba, Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, declined.

“We would like to see that regime change, Rubio said, adding, “That doesn’t mean that we’re going to make a change, but we would love to see it change.”

US safer due to capture of Maduro

On the US capture of Venezuelan President Maduro, Rubio said Trump had acted to take out a major national security threat in the Western Hemisphere.

According to Rubio, America was safer and more secure as a result, and that the Republican administration would work with interim authorities to stabilize the South American country.

Future of Venezuela

“We’re not going to have this thing turn around overnight, but I think we’re making good and decent progress,” Rubio said.

“We are certainly better off today in Venezuela than we were four weeks ago and I think and hope and expect that we’ll be better off in three months and six months and nine months than we would have been had Maduro still been there.”

He also claimed that Venezuela’s current leaders are cooperating and would soon begin to see benefits.

But he backed away from remarks prepared for the hearing that Washington would not hesitate to take further military action should those leaders not fully accept Trump’s demands.

“I can tell you right now with full certainty, we are not postured to nor do we intend or expect to have to take any military action in Venezuela at any time,” Rubio said.

“I think it would require the emergence of an imminent threat of the kind that we do not anticipate at this time.”

Venezuela soon will be allowed to sell oil

He said Venezuela soon will be allowed to sell oil that is now subject to US sanctions. The revenue would be set aside to pay for basic government services such as policing and health care.

Iran more complex than Venezuela

Speaking about the recent protests in Iran, Rubio said the Islamic Republic’s leaders have no choice now but to change or leave.

He, however, admitted that a regime change in Iran would require “a lot of careful thinking” because it would be “far more complex” than Venezuela. Rubio said there was no current plan to attack.

“You’re talking about a regime that’s been in place for a very long time,” Rubio responded to a question from Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas. “So that’s going to require a lot of careful thinking, if that eventuality ever presents itself.”

Will get something positive in Greenland

Rubio also faced questions about Trump’s threats to take Greenland from NATO ally Denmark and his insults about the alliance’s contributions to US security.

Rubio played them all down. He said the uproar over Greenland within NATO is calming and that talks are underway about how to deal with Trump’s demands.

“I think we’re going to get something positive done,” Rubio said.

Rubio dismissed criticism that Trump was undermining the alliance, while repeating the long-running American complaint that member nations need to boost their defense budgets.“NATO needs to be reimagined.” Rubio said.

“I just think this president complains about it louder than other presidents.”

Taiwan is a legacy project

On Taiwan, Rubio said China’s stated goal to reunify Taiwan with the mainland would not be affected by any other world event, including the Maduro operation.

“The situation on Taiwan is a legacy project” that Chinese President Xi Jinping has made “very clear that that’s what he intends to do and that’s going to be irrespective anything that happens in the world,” Rubio said.