U.S. Recruits Cuban Citizens as Florida Issues Raúl Castro Warrant
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the CIA publicly urged Cubans to collaborate with U.S. intelligence amid threats of intervention and a murder warrant for Raúl Castro.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) launched an unprecedented public recruitment campaign on social media, urging Cuban citizens to establish discrete partnerships with the agency to drive political change. The CIA provided Spanish-language instructions and operational security guidance, including the use of VPNs and disposable emails, to facilitate secret collaboration.
This intelligence push coincides with escalating military and legal pressure. President Donald Trump signaled potential intervention during a Florida rally, stating the U.S. would take care of Cuba following operations in Iran. Simultaneously, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier secured an arrest warrant for former Cuban leader Raúl Castro Ruz, charging him with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in connection with the 1996 shootdown of civilian aircraft.
The Cuban government condemned the actions as ambitions of domination. Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío mocked the CIA's public recruitment efforts, while Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla described the warrant against Castro as a disgraceful act. The escalation follows the creation of a secret CIA task force that recently elevated Cuba to Priority 1 status.
