Rubio urges Cubans to seek change through CIA after Trump's warship remarks

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has urged Cubans seeking political change to act through a partnership with the CIA. He made the appeal in a social media post. Fox News identifies the platform as X.

Fox News quoted the post as saying: "To those who seek to create positive change in Cuba - now is the time." It went on: "The disappointment of failed promises, corruption, and the privileged lives of only a few; seize this opportunity to create the change you desire through a discrete partnership with the CIA."

The post followed remarks by President Donald Trump on Friday at a rally in Florida ahead of the midterm elections. Trump said US ships returning from Iran would pass Cuba. He said one would stop about 50 yards off the coast. He said Rubio would then be sent in to "finish up the deal".

Rubio is the son of Cuban immigrants. He has long taken a hard line toward Cuba's government.

What else is reported

According to Fox News, the rally took place in Fort Myers. Fox News quoted Trump as saying: "Those beautiful ships will pass Cuba. We'll have one of them stop about 50 yards off the coast."

According to the Guardian, Trump was answering a shouted question from the crowd, and Rubio's post came moments later. Fox News describes the two statements as separate and does not specify their order.

According to Fox News, Rubio's post did not identify a specific operation or explain what cooperation with the CIA would involve. Trump did not give details of any proposed agreement or say whether his remarks reflected an actual plan. The Guardian said Rubio appeared to write "discrete" (separate) in error for "discreet" (private or secret).

According to the Guardian, Trump and Rubio raised the prospect of US military intervention in Cuba in May. That followed criminal charges against former Cuban leader Raúl Castro. The Guardian also reports that senior US officials met Cuban officials in recent months, came away unimpressed, and that further sanctions followed. It says Cuba has faced an economic and energy crisis since 2020.

Fox News said it sought comment from the CIA, the State Department, the White House and the Cuban Embassy in Washington. Its report does not include any responses. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include a response from the Cuban government.

What each side says

Rubio, according to the Guardian, has said Cuba has been a national security threat for years and that the administration wants a peaceful resolution. He has also voiced doubts that diplomacy is possible with the current government. In a 29 September interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, the Guardian quoted him as saying: "The truth is Cuba has already fallen."

Trump, according to the Guardian, said last month that Rubio was "deep into negotiations with Cuba". The Guardian quoted him as telling reporters: "I don't think we'll need the military. Cuba is failing very badly."

Analysis

The two statements point in different directions. Trump has spoken of a "deal" and said military force may not be needed. Rubio's post appears to invite Cubans to act with US intelligence support. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not establish whether either statement reflects a concrete policy. Possible readings range from campaign rhetoric before the midterms to a signal of a harder approach. Much may depend on whether US agencies clarify the remarks and on how Havana responds. Neither response is included in the reports reviewed.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.