Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Cubans who want change to contact the Central Intelligence Agency, and the Central Intelligence Agency backed him up in public.
Story Snapshot
- Rubio urged Cubans to seek a “discrete partnership” with the Central Intelligence Agency on October 23, 2026.
- The Central Intelligence Agency echoed Rubio’s message and shared Spanish-language instructions on how to reach the agency.
- The agency guidance listed in-person, trusted-intermediary, and secure online contact routes, with safety tips.
- Cuba’s deputy foreign minister mocked the appeal as open recruitment by the Central Intelligence Agency.
Rubio’s Call And The Agency’s Public Reinforcement
Secretary of State Marco Rubio used X to tell Cubans who “seek to create positive change” that “now is the time” to work with the Central Intelligence Agency. He urged a “discrete partnership,” tying it to corruption and failed promises in Cuba. The Central Intelligence Agency did not ignore it. Reports say the agency reposted Rubio’s message and added a Spanish-language video reply with contact instructions for potential sources. That pairing turned a political appeal into an operational invite.
To those who seek to create positive change in Cuba – now is the time.
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.
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) October 23, 2026
The Central Intelligence Agency’s response mattered because it provided mechanics, not just rhetoric. The reported video and posts laid out how to make contact and what to expect if someone reached out. That gave the message weight inside Cuba and among exiles abroad. It also signaled, in plain sight, that Washington wanted information from people with access to useful data inside the Cuban system. The choice to do this in Spanish widened the intended audience.
How The Central Intelligence Agency Said To Make Contact
The agency’s reported instructions named three paths. First, visit a United States facility in person if safe. Second, send a trusted person if a direct visit would be risky. Third, use the Central Intelligence Agency website through a secure connection, a private browser, and a burner email. The guide also warned that security services can sometimes see which sites people visit even if the page is encrypted. That warning urged caution without promising safety.
The guidance also spelled out what to include in any first message. Send your city and country, your job, your level of access to information of interest, and a safe way to reply. The Central Intelligence Agency said it would review each message but might not respond. It framed the audience as people who have information the agency wants, not only street activists or general dissidents. That focus lined up with intelligence collection more than broad political protest.
Why This Move Fits A Long American Pattern
Public recruitment by a spy service is unusual, but the strategy has logic. It broadens the pool of possible sources, flags United States interest to insiders, and lowers the first-contact barrier for people who lack channels. Cuba sits at the center of this history. During the Cold War, United States leaders backed anti-Castro exile networks and psychological operations to influence events on the island. Today’s public invite echoes those older tools, but without the secrecy that once defined them.
Cuban officials pushed back fast. Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio called the outreach open recruitment by the Central Intelligence Agency. He mocked it and cast it as a sign of weakness. That response offered Havana a ready message for its own people and for allies abroad. The clash over framing now runs in parallel with the contact options that the Central Intelligence Agency laid out in public feeds and videos.
Security, Stakes, And A Clear-Eyed View
The security note inside the agency’s own guidance deserves attention. Digital contact can leave traces. Even with a private browser and a one-time email, a bad network or a watched device can give a person away. The Central Intelligence Agency urged people to judge their own risks. That is common sense, and it aligns with conservative values of personal judgment and responsibility. The choice to act belongs to the individual who knows the ground truth of their own life.
Rubio’s critics will say the call blurs public diplomacy and regime-change pressure. Supporters will say it gives brave people a safe path to share facts.
Sources:
cbsnews.com, verity.news, afp.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com, thehill.com, cia.gov
