Por Renan Filho · 2026-10-23**Lead** U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, a prominent Cuban-American lawmaker, has urged Cubans to work with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to bring about political change in the communist-ruled island. The statement, delivered during a conservative forum in Miami, marks one of the most direct calls for citizen involvement with U.S. intelligence in recent years. Rubio argued that Cuban citizens have the power to undermine the Castro regime by cooperating with American agencies, emphasizing that peaceful internal pressure could accelerate the end of one-party rule.
**Context** Rubio, who frequently speaks on Cuban affairs, has long advocated for stronger sanctions against Havana and supported measures to boost internet access and independent media on the island. His latest appeal aligns with decades of U.S. policy efforts to promote democratic change in Cuba, including through covert operations during the Cold War. The CIA's history in Cuba includes the failed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and various attempts to destabilize Fidel Castro's government. While more recent U.S. administrations have focused on economic pressure and diplomatic isolation, Rubio's call suggests a renewed emphasis on intelligence-backed civil resistance.
Cuba remains one of the world's few one-party socialist states, with the Communist Party controlling all levels of government. The island has faced severe economic hardship exacerbated by U.S. sanctions, the pandemic, and structural inefficiencies. In recent years, widespread protests in July 2021 over food shortages and government repression were met with a brutal crackdown, leading to thousands of arrests. Dissidents and human rights activists have regularly faced harassment, imprisonment, and exile. The Cuban government consistently denounces U.S. interference as an attempt to subvert its sovereignty.
**Analise** Rubio's recommendation carries significant cultural weight. The Cuban-American community in South Florida—a key electoral constituency—has long been divided between hardliners favoring regime change and moderates open to dialogue. By explicitly urging cooperation with the CIA, Rubio risks alienating younger Cuban-Americans who may see such calls as echoes of past failed interventions. Culturally, the idea of Cubans working with an agency historically associated with covert operations could evoke painful memories of the Bay of Pigs and the subsequent U.S. embargo, which many in Cuba view as an instrument of collective punishment rather than liberation.
From a broader perspective, the call may influence how U.S. cultural diplomacy is perceived in Cuba. The island's vibrant arts scene, including music, film, and literature, has often been a conduit for political expression. If Cubans begin to see the CIA as a partner in cultural resistance, it could alter the dynamics of internal dissent. However, history shows that direct links with foreign intelligence agencies often undermine local movements, giving the Cuban government a pretext to label all opposition as foreign agents. The impact on cultural freedom could be twofold: while some artists might feel emboldened by external support, others may face even harsher repression as the regime tightens control over creative expression seen as subversive.
**Fontes** The information in this article is based on Senator Marco Rubio's public remarks during a recorded speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation in Simi Valley, California, on October 12, 2026, as covered by news agencies including the Associated Press and Reuters. Additional historical context is drawn from declassified U.S. government documents on CIA operations in Cuba, as well as reports from human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and the Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation, which document the state of political freedom on the island.