Rubio urges Cubans to seek change

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Cubans on Friday that "now is the time" to act if they want political change. He directed this message to those seeking to create positive change, citing failed promises, corruption, and the privileged lifestyles of a few as reasons to move forward. Rubio specifically encouraged the public to seize this opportunity through a "discrete partnership with the CIA." Although he likely intended the word discreet, meaning private, the post used discrete, which means separate.

The call to action followed President Donald Trump's comments at a Friday rally in South Florida. Trump responded to a question from the crowd about Cuba by suggesting American warships could intervene as they return from the Iran war. He described a scenario where ships stop about 50 yards off the coast. "We'll do a little stopover," Trump said. He added that crew members would raise their hands and that Rubio would be sent in to finish the deal. Trump first raised this concept earlier in the year but had not mentioned it in recent months.

Havana reacted quickly to the remarks. Cuban deputy foreign minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio criticized the US on X, stating the nation was "resorting to public recruitment for the CIA." He described the agency as being in a state of desperation, comparing its efforts to selling services like a tube of toothpaste. The rally occurred just days before midterm elections, where voters have expressed concern over rising prices for gas and groceries caused by the Iran war.

Both leaders have maintained an aggressive stance toward the island. Trump previously suggested Cuba would be the next target for intervention after the Iran war ends. In May, he and Rubio raised the prospect of military action, a threat that gained weight after the administration announced criminal charges against former leader Raúl Castro. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that while earlier presidents considered intervention for decades, "it looks like I'll be the one that does it." Rubio has called Cuba a long-standing national security threat due to its ties to US adversaries, though he said the administration prefers a peaceful resolution.

Rubio had not spoken in depth about Cuba publicly for several weeks prior to this post. In a September 29 interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News, he stated that "Cuba has already fallen." He described the country as lacking a functional economy and being run by people preaching a dead revolution. He expressed hope that Cuba would choose a different path and said the US would not allow the island to become a base of operations against American interests. He did not mention a CIA operation during that interview.

Diplomatic efforts have been mixed. Rubio and other senior aides met with Cuban officials in recent months to explore better relations, but the US side was unimpressed, leading to additional sanctions. At the UN general assembly last month, Trump said Rubio was "deep into negotiations." Days later, he told reporters he expected a deal and did not think military action was necessary. This week, however, the two governments clashed at the UN as Washington sought to build opposition to an annual vote condemning the US economic embargo.

Cuba has faced an economic and energy crisis since 2020. Its gross domestic product has shrunk, and its 10 million residents have endured blackouts, food shortages, and inflation. Waves of protests have occurred, and hundreds of thousands of Cubans have emigrated, with many moving to the United States.