Yordenis Ugás Comments on Marco Rubio's "Discomfort" as Secretary of State

In recent statements, former Cuban boxer Yordenis Ugás stirred controversy by suggesting that Marco Rubio "must be feeling very uncomfortable" in his role as Secretary of State, a position he has held since January 21st. Ugás elaborated on his thoughts through a Facebook post, asserting that the appointment of the former senator entails facing challenges that could highlight inconsistencies between his beliefs and the demands of current foreign policy.

Ugás began his discourse by stating, "I always dreamed that Marco Rubio would become vice president, although I knew it was nearly impossible because of the rule preventing both the president and vice president from being from the same state—because they would lose votes, and in Florida's case, they would have lost entirely!" The 2005 Amateur Lightweight World Boxing Champion noted that last year, while dealing with a family matter, he had close interactions with then-Senator Rubio's office and frequently told his mother, "He will be one of the most powerful men in the country."

However, while Ugás acknowledged that Rubio is "super prepared" for the role of Secretary of State, a key position within the government, he also remarked, "The big difference is that being vice president ties you down for four years, almost without options." He further argued, "With what's coming as Secretary of State, I doubt Marco will make it to the end... and I hope I'm wrong."

According to Ugás, the Floridian "must be really uncomfortable" because "if you've spent your career condemning the dictatorships of Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba, criticizing left and right, and even hating the murderer Putin... how do you go from one extreme to another? Though, I clarify, the role of the Secretary of State is to carry out the president's policies, and that must be made clear."

To fuel the debate, Ugás posed a question to his followers. "Here's a question I've had since day one: Do you think Marco Rubio knew everything that was going to happen with Venezuela and Ukraine and still accepted the position?" His inquiry received various reactions in the post, with opinions divided.

"Marco Rubio may not agree with many things, but democracy must prevail and do what's best for the country. Politics requires a cool head, focused on the outcome of a nation with a good economy, security, and quality public services. To help others, you must first be well yourself, and with the cold the USA has, it can't keep curing the world's fever," one user commented.

Another person reflected on the short time the current Secretary of State has been in office. "They're judging the entire 4-year term based on just one month that those people have been there. There's still much to see. Who knows what the final strategy of all this is? We have to wait a bit longer. That's my opinion. But I understand the uncertainty felt at this moment," they anticipated.

One user went further with their arguments. "I'll tell you something, and you might not like it, that's politics, all about convenience. Today it's blue, tomorrow it's green. But I do believe that Trump fooled everyone who thought he was a lion, and now it turns out he's a rabbit controlled by the real president... Elon Musk. He bought the elections to do whatever he wants; today, in the U.S., only Elon rules."

A Latino Leadership with a Firm Stance

At 53, Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, became the first Hispanic to occupy this strategic position and the first member of Donald Trump's cabinet to be confirmed by the Senate. The vote concluded with overwhelming support of 99 in favor and none against, also receiving Democratic votes.

This outcome not only reflects bipartisan confidence in his abilities but also acknowledges his political trajectory and focus on foreign policy issues, making him a pivotal figure to lead the State Department amid global challenges.

In his inaugural tour, Rubio made an official visit to Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic. During this trip, he emphasized the region's importance for U.S. security and economic growth, making it clear that his administration aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation while criticizing the influence of authoritarian regimes and powers like China in the hemisphere.

One of the most assertive moves of his administration has been the interim takeover of USAID. Rubio has criticized the agency for not effectively promoting national interests, driving a restructuring to align it closely with the government's foreign policy. He has also ordered the suspension of new foreign aid commitments in various areas—health, education, development, and security—aiming to review the effectiveness and coherence of these programs.

Rubio's agenda has also included strategic meetings with senior officials from the U.S. Southern Command, discussing the need for greater defense and security coordination, especially against challenges like irregular migration and foreign actors' influence in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Additionally, he has taken significant steps to address the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. During a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the Secretary of State emphasized the need to leverage Donald Trump's leadership to bring the opposing parties together and foster serious negotiations to end the conflict.

In that meeting, measures were also announced to form a negotiation team aimed at exploring paths to peace, reaffirming the stance that only firm and energetic leadership—according to his words, Trump's—can achieve progress in the peace process.