Rubio Asks Cubans to Contact CIA as Navy Ships Head Near Cuba

Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly asked Cubans who want change in their country to work with the Central Intelligence Agency. He posted the request on X on Friday, writing, "To those who seek to create positive change in Cuba - now is the time." He cited what he called the "disappointment of failed promises, corruption, and the privileged lives of only a few," and told readers to "seceive this opportunity to create the change you desire through a discrete partnership with the CIA." The CIA reposted his message along with a version in Spanish, and both posts carried a video that lays out the steps for contacting the agency.

The appeal lands as Cuba faces a U.S. embargo and sanctions. Prices for basic goods have gone up, and access to medical care has shrunk. Cubans have waited hours in bread lines, and others have queued to see a doctor. Last week the U.S. added more economic sanctions against Cuba's state-run bank, saying it had ties to Iran.

President Trump also spoke about Cuba on Friday at a campaign rally in South Florida. "We'll take care of Cuba on our way back from Iran," he said, pointing to U.S. Navy warships deployed near the Strait of Hormuz. He then described how that could go: "Those beautiful ships will pass Cuba. We'll have one of them stop about 50 yards off the coast. They'll raise up their hands, and then we're going to send Marco Rubio in to finish up the deal."

Cuba's government answered the same day. Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla wrote on X: "We reject any threats stemming from U.S. ambitions toward Cuba." He added that the island's coastline, though lined with beautiful beaches, is "also rugged and inhospitable to those who arrive with hostile intentions and a desire for domination."

The State Department has not said how Cubans should reach the agency in practice, and the CIA has not published the contact steps beyond the video attached to the posts. Trump's comments on the rally stage referred to ships moving near Cuba after operations concerning Iran.