Rubio calls on Cubans to partner with CIA ‘to create positive change’

What the report says

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has urged people in Cuba who want political change to work with the CIA, in comments posted on X and reported by Al Jazeera on 24 October 2026. The appeal was framed by Rubio as a chance to help bring an end to Cuba’s communist government, with language focused on corruption, broken promises and the need for change. The article said the message came amid a broader escalation in US pressure on Havana.

Al Jazeera reported that President Donald Trump and senior US officials have for months been signaling possible military action and a longer-term US presence in Cuba while increasing economic, political and legal pressure. Cuban officials sharply rejected the outreach. Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio mocked the idea of public CIA recruitment and called the US posture threatening. He has also recently warned on US television that military force against Cuba would be an international crime.

The report also noted that the CIA later posted Spanish-language guidance online for people with information of interest to the agency. More broadly, Cuba is already facing severe economic strain, including fuel shortages and blackouts, which Al Jazeera linked to a US oil blockade and long-standing embargo measures. The story said United Nations rights experts have criticized those restrictions, while advocates argue Washington’s approach reflects an imperial style of pressure.