On 23 October, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on Cubans seeking political change to cooperate confidentially with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The statement came after President Donald Trump suggested that Washington might take new action against Cuba once the military campaign against Iran had concluded. The Cuban authorities criticised Rubio\u2019s call, describing it as a sign of desperation on the part of the US intelligence services.<\/p>\n
The US Secretary of State has published a statement on his official social media page X<\/strong><\/em>. He called on Cuban citizens who are dissatisfied with the current government\u2019s policies to seize the opportunity to bring about change.<\/p>\n \u00abFor those who are striving for positive change in Cuba, now is the time,\u00bb wrote Rubio.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The American diplomat referred to the authorities\u2019 unfulfilled promises, corruption and the privileged position enjoyed by a small circle of people. In his view, citizens can influence the political situation in the country through confidential cooperation with the CIA.<\/p>\n Rubio did not specify exactly what forms of cooperation he was proposing, nor what role US intelligence might play in political change in Cuba.<\/p>\n Following his statement, the CIA also published a Spanish-language appeal to people in possession of information that might be of interest to US intelligence.<\/p>\n Rubio\u2019s statement came shortly after his speech Donald Trump<\/strong> at a political rally in Fort Myers, Florida.<\/p>\n The US President stated that Once the military campaign against Iran is over, Washington may turn its attention to Cuba<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Trump suggested that US warships returning from the Middle East might sail close to the Cuban coast. He also stated that he would then send Marco Rubio<\/strong> to finalise the agreements with Havana.<\/p>\n The US President did not present a specific plan for a military operation, nor did he specify a timeframe for any potential action.<\/p>\n Trump had previously expressed confidence that it would be possible to achieve agreements with Cuba<\/a> without the use of military force. At the same time, his administration has repeatedly stated its intention to bring about a change in the island\u2019s political leadership.<\/p>\n Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cuba Carlos Fern\u00e1ndez de Cossio<\/strong> criticised the US Secretary of State\u2019s statement. The Cuban diplomat claimed that the United States had resorted to openly recruiting people for its intelligence service. He also ironically compared the public promotion of the CIA\u2019s capabilities to an advert for toothpaste.<\/p>\nTrump spoke about American warships off the coast of Cuba<\/h2>\n
How Cuba responded to the call to cooperate with the CIA<\/h2>\n