Secretary of State urges islanders to partner with intelligence agency as President revives fleet concept

Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a direct call to action for Cubans seeking political reform on Friday, stating that the moment to act is now. In a social media post aimed at those wanting positive change, Rubio highlighted the frustration caused by broken promises, systemic corruption, and the wealth enjoyed by a small elite. He specifically encouraged citizens to pursue their goals through a discrete partnership with the Central Intelligence Agency. Rubio, whose parents fled the island before the socialist revolution, appeared to use the word discrete in the sense of separate, though the context suggests he intended to convey the idea of a private or secret arrangement.

The statement followed a rally in south Florida where President Donald Trump reignited a proposal he had first mentioned earlier this year. Responding to a question from the crowd about the island nation, the President described a scenario in which American warships returning from the Iran conflict would make a brief stop near Cuba. He said one ship would stop approximately 50 yards off the coast, where personnel would raise their hands before Rubio was sent in to finalize a deal. The President noted that earlier leaders had considered intervention for decades, but he believes his administration will be the one to execute it.

The diplomatic landscape has been mixed in recent months. Senior aides have met with Cuban officials to explore improved relations, but the United States side was reportedly unimpressed, leading to additional sanctions. In a speech to the United Nations last month, the President described the Secretary of State as being deep in negotiations and expressed confidence that a deal would be reached without military force. However, tensions flared earlier this week at the UN as Washington worked to build opposition to an upcoming vote condemning the American economic embargo.

Havana reacted with skepticism on Friday. Cuban deputy foreign minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio posted on X that the United States was resorting to public recruitment for the CIA. He joked that the agency must be in a state of desperation or misery to be forced to sell its services like a tube of toothpaste.

Rubio had been relatively quiet on the topic for several weeks. In a September interview on Fox News, he described Cuba as having already fallen, citing a lack of functional economy and a revolution that had been dead for twenty years. He expressed hope that the island would choose a different path and stated that the United States would never allow it to become a base of operations against American interests. He did not mention a CIA operation in that interview.

The island has faced a severe economic and energy crisis since 2020. Its gross domestic product has shrunk, and its ten million residents have endured blackouts, food shortages, and high inflation. Waves of protests have emerged, and hundreds of thousands have emigrated, with many moving to the United States.

With midterm elections approaching in just days, voters have expressed concern about how the war on Iran has impacted prices for goods ranging from gas to groceries. The administration's renewed focus on Cuba comes against this backdrop of economic anxiety and geopolitical tension.