CIA releases video guide for Cubans seeking direct contact
State Department posts steps to reach the agency as U.S. pressure mounts on the island.
By Marco Kapoor ·
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Cubans on Friday to contact the Central Intelligence Agency directly if they want to drive change on the island. In a post on X, he wrote, "To those who seek to create positive change in Cuba - now is the time." He urged readers to "seize this opportunity to create the change you desire through a discrete partnership with the CIA." He cited the "disappointment of failed promises, corruption, and the privileged lives of only a few" as reasons to act.
The CIA reposted Rubio's message shortly after the initial announcement. The agency included a version in Spanish and attached a video. The video explains the specific steps for citizens to reach the intelligence agency.
This move follows a series of economic pressures on Cuba. The U.S. government announced additional sanctions last week targeting the Cuban state-run bank. Washington said the institution had ties to Iran. Under the strict embargo and these new sanctions, prices for basic goods have risen sharply. Medical access has shrunk, and reports indicate Cubans have waited hours in lines for bread and doctor appointments.
President Donald Trump addressed the situation at a campaign rally in South Florida on Friday. He said, "We'll take care of Cuba on our way back from Iran." He referred to U.S. Navy warships deployed near the Strait of Hormuz. Trump described a plan for the ships to pass Cuba. "We'll have one of them stop about 50 yards off the coast," he said. He added, "They'll raise up their hands, and then we're going to send Marco Rubio in to finish up the deal."
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla rejected the U.S. rhetoric on X. He wrote, "We reject any threats stemming from U.S. ambitions toward Cuba." He noted that the island's coastline is rugged. He described it as inhospitable to those who arrive with hostile intentions and a desire for domination.
The next scheduled event is the potential arrival of the U.S. Navy warships near the Cuban coast, a move Trump said would allow Rubio to negotiate.
