Marco Rubio

because they're afraid that if the people of Cuba can provide for themselves, they lose control over them, they lose power over them.

So I think there has to be that opening.

It has to happen.

And I think now Cuba's faced such a dire situation.

Remember, this is a regime that has survived almost entirely on subsidies, first from the Soviet Union, then from Hugo Chavez, and now for the first time it has no subsidies coming in from anyone.

And the model's been laid bare.

And it's not just that.

Look, multiple countries have gone in and helped.

The problem is that you lose money in Cuba.

They never pay their bills.

They never end up paying and never ends up working out.

There were European countries that went to Cuba and made what they thought were investments in certain sectors only to have the contracts canceled and get themselves kicked out because the Cuban regime has no fundamental understanding of what business and industry looks like, and the people are suffering as a result of it.

So I think certainly their willingness to begin to make openings in this regard is one potential way forward.

I would also say, and this has not been really talked about a lot,

But the United States has been providing humanitarian assistance directly to the Cuban people via the Catholic Church.

We did it after the hurricane.

We actually just recently announced an increase in the amount we're willing to give.

And that's something we're willing to continue to explore.

But obviously, that's not a long-term solution to the problems on the island.

The world has changed and the alliance has to change.