United States calls on Cubans to partner with CIA

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on citizens in Cuba to partner with the Central Intelligence Agency, according to reports from Al Jazeera, The Hill, AFP, Euronews, and SABC News. Rubio stated on social media that the time has come for Cubans seeking positive change and those tired of failed promises and corruption to act. [1][2][3][4][5][7]

Following the statement by Rubio, the Central Intelligence Agency released a Spanish language video that instructs potential informants on how to make contact, SABC News reported. Rubio warned interested Cubans that they should remain discreet in their actions. [1][4][5]

President Donald Trump raised the prospect of military intervention in Cuba, SABC News reported. Trump suggested that American warships returning from war with Iran could be deployed off the coast of Cuba. In response, Cuba's Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío addressed the appeals, while Le Monde reported that Cuba mocked the calls as a sign of desperation from the United States. [1][6]

The United States has imposed a fuel blockade on Cuba since January 2026, leading to ongoing fuel shortages and economic difficulties. The blockade followed a United States intervention in Venezuela that ousted President Nicolás Maduro and cut off Venezuelan oil exports to Cuba. Over 1.7 million Cubans resided in the United States as of 2024 following successive waves of migration since 1959. [8][9]