Rubio calls on Cubans seeking “positive change” to work with CIA: “Now is the time”

October 24, 2026 / 11:49 AM EDT / CBS News

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on Cubans seeking "positive change" to work with the CIA, the latest ploy in the growing efforts from the Trump administration to remove Cuba's communist regime from power.

"To those who seek to create positive change in Cuba – now is the time," Rubio wrote Friday on X. "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."

Shortly afterward, the CIA reposted Rubio's message and a similar call in Spanish for Cubans to work with the agency. A video was posted alongside the message showing the steps needed to contact the intelligence agency.

A strict U.S. embargo and sanctions seeking to put pressure on Cuba's communist government have led to prices of basic goods skyrocketing and decreased access to medical care for its citizens. Cubans reported waiting in bread lines for hours and others reported lining up to see a doctor.

Last week, the U.S. government announced additional economic sanctions on Cuba's state-run bank, saying the institution had ties to Iran.

President…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/