US State Chief Tells Cubans to Act Now as Warship Plan Resurfaces

American citizens and residents of Cuban descent received a direct call to action from Washington this week. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Cubans seeking political transformation to move immediately, stating that the current moment presents a unique window for change. This message arrived just hours after President Donald Trump suggested US naval vessels could pause near the island during their return from the Middle East.

The timing of these remarks places political pressure on a population of 10 million. Cuba has endured an economic and energy crisis since 2020, marked by shrinking gross domestic product, frequent blackouts, and food shortages. Inflation has continued to rise, driving hundreds of thousands of residents to emigrate, with many heading to the United States.

Rubio addressed those who want to create positive change in a social media post. He cited failed promises, corruption, and the privileged lifestyles of a small group as reasons for discontent. He encouraged Cubans to form a private partnership with the Central Intelligence Agency to achieve their goals. Although he used the word discrete, meaning separate, he likely intended to say discreet, meaning secret. Rubio, whose parents emigrated before the socialist revolution, has been vocal about the island's instability.

President Trump reintroduced the idea of a naval presence on Friday during a rally in South Florida. Responding to a question from the crowd, he described American ships returning from the Iran war. He said the fleet would make a stopover, with one ship stopping about 50 yards off the Cuban coast. Trump said the sailors would raise their hands before he sent Rubio to finish the deal. He first proposed this concept earlier this year but had not mentioned it in recent months.

Havana reacted with skepticism. Carlos Fernandez de Cossio, the Cuban deputy foreign minister, mocked the US approach on the social platform X. He described the move as public recruitment for the CIA. Fernandez de Cossio suggested that the agency was forced to sell its services like a tube of toothpaste due to desperation or misery within the organization.

The US administration has taken an aggressive stance toward Havana. Trump previously indicated that Cuba would be the next target for intervention after the conflict in Iran ends. In May, the president and Rubio raised the possibility of military action. That threat gained weight after the administration announced criminal charges against former Cuban leader Raul Castro. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that while earlier presidents considered intervention for decades, he expects to be the one to execute it.

Rubio has characterized Cuba as a long standing national security threat due to its ties to US adversaries. He stated that the administration prefers a peaceful resolution but doubts the current government will agree to one. In a Fox News interview on September 29, Rubio said Cuba has already fallen, describing a country without a functional economy. He did not mention a CIA operation during that appearance.

Diplomatic efforts have been inconsistent. Senior US aides met with Cuban officials in recent months to explore better relations, but the American side was unimpressed. Additional sanctions followed those meetings. At the UN General Assembly last month, Trump said Rubio was deep into negotiations. Days later, he told reporters he expected a deal and did not think the military would be needed. This week, the two governments clashed at the UN as Washington built opposition to an annual vote condemning the US economic embargo.