Secretary of State Marco Rubio has expressed concerns about Cuba’s potential to infiltrate and influence important U.S. institutions. He described a significant Cuban spy network that poses a threat to American interests.
Rubio spoke on “My View with Lara Trump,” emphasizing the threat from a “failed state” close to U.S. shores. According to Rubio, Cuba’s alignment with adversaries makes it a national security concern. His remarks follow a State Department report that outlines Cuba’s influence efforts in the U.S., connecting it to groups like Antifa and labeling it the “capital of 21st-century communism.”
The report claims that Cuba has built a covert network in America through spies, activists, and universities.
Rubio accused Cuba of being an “influence and espionage superpower.” He noted that Cuba has consistently managed to embed spies within the U.S. without financial compensation. As an example, he mentioned a U.S. ambassador who was convicted as a Cuban spy. The former ambassador, Manuel Rocha, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his activities over several decades.
Rubio also referred to Ana Belén Montes, a Defense Intelligence Agency analyst convicted of transmitting American secrets to Cuba. He highlighted this as one of the significant intelligence mishaps in U.S. history. Rubio asserted that Cuba has employed networks of protesters across the U.S. to influence lawmakers, pointing to protests linked to pro-Hamas, anti-ICE, and pro-Maduro agendas. He argued that these are part of a funded, organized network with Cuban involvement.
Cuban-linked protests have targeted U.S. bases and ICE facilities as part of organized activist plans.
Rubio stressed that this network is weaponized against the U.S. and discussed openly by proponents on how it can pressure policymakers.
He also accused Cuba of operating influence campaigns across Latin America, attributing support for left-wing insurgencies in the region over the past decades to Cuban operations.
Some critics of the State Department report argue it’s intended to scare the public and justify potential U.S. military actions against Cuba. Rubio rebuked those sympathetic to Cuba’s communist government, labeling their views as ideologically driven.
He cautioned against ignoring the threat and underscored the need for vigilance.
Nora Moriarty is a writer for Fox News Digital.