Rubio Urges Cubans to Seek Secret CIA Ties as Trump Revives Naval Stopover

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on Cubans seeking political change to establish a private partnership with the CIA on Friday. His social media post declared that "now is the time" for the island's residents to act. The message followed President Donald Trump's announcement at a rally in south Florida that American warships would intervene in Cuban waters as they returned from the Iran conflict.

Trump described a specific tactical maneuver during the event. He said one warship would stop approximately 50 yards off the Cuban coast while others continued their route. The President stated that the crew would raise their hands in a gesture before sending Rubio to "finish up the deal." Trump had not mentioned this plan in recent months but reintroduced it in response to a question from the crowd. The rally took place days before the midterm elections, where voters expressed concern over inflation in goods ranging from gas to groceries caused by the Iran war.

Rubio addressed "those who seek to create positive change" in his written statement. He cited corruption and the privileged lifestyles of a few as drivers of disappointment. The Secretary of State used the word "discrete" to describe the proposed CIA collaboration, a term that usually means separate rather than the intended "discreet," or secret. Rubio, whose parents left Cuba before the socialist revolution, appeared to invite the island's people to seize this opportunity for a private arrangement with the US intelligence agency.

Havana reacted with mockery on Friday. Carlos Fernandez de Cossio, the Cuban deputy foreign minister, posted on X that the US was "resorting to public recruitment for the CIA." He added that the agency must be experiencing "desperation or misery" to sell its services "like a tube of toothpaste." This response followed Trump's earlier suggestion that Cuba would be the next target for US intervention after the Iran war concludes. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that he expected to be the president who executes that intervention, a prospect he has long predicted.

The two leaders have maintained an aggressive posture toward Havana since May, when they raised the prospect of military action. That threat gained weight after the administration announced criminal charges against former Cuban leader Raul Castro. Rubio stated that Cuba remains a national security threat due to its ties to US adversaries. He expressed doubt that a peaceful resolution is possible with the current government, despite stating a preference for a diplomatic outcome.

Rubio had not discussed Cuba in depth publicly for several weeks prior to this week. In a September 29 interview on Fox News, he described the island as having "already fallen" and operating without a functional economy. He said the US would not allow Cuba to become a base for operations against American interests. Diplomatic efforts have been uneven, with US aides meeting Cuban officials in recent months but leaving unimpressed. Those meetings were followed by additional sanctions. Trump told reporters last month that he expected the two countries "will make a deal" and did not anticipate the need for military force, a view that contrasted with the recent naval announcement.

Cuba has faced an economic and energy crisis since 2020. The country's gross domestic product has shrunk, and its 10 million residents have endured blackouts, food shortages, and high inflation. Hundreds of thousands of Cubans have emigrated, with many moving to the United States. Earlier this week, the two governments clashed at the United Nations as Washington attempted to build opposition to an annual vote condemning the US economic embargo.