In a briefing held this Monday, two U.S. State Department officials emphasized that the President of the United States is keeping every option available regarding Cuba. The briefing was organized to support a new report that accuses the Cuban regime of nearly 70 years of espionage, ideological subversion, and revolutionary export aimed at undermining Washington.
Released by the State Department, the document titled "Cuba: The Capital of 21st Century Communism" spans 100 pages. Secretary of State Marco Rubio shared it through his official account, stating, "For over six decades, the Cuban regime has been the principal sponsor of radical leftism and third-worldism in the United States. The American public deserves to know."
During the press call, attended by journalist Mario J. Pentón from Martí Noticias, officials described Havana as the "caretaker" of Washington's adversaries, insisting that its influence is not a relic of the past.
Present-Day Influence of the Cuban Regime
"Few Americans realize just how deeply, even in its degraded state, the Cuban regime remains intricately connected to these extremist, often violent, left-wing networks globally, throughout the Western Hemisphere, and on U.S. soil," one official stated.
The officials argue that the report highlights how leftist political violence and the ideologies of the so-called new left—including third-worldism, racial Marxism, and social communism—are directly rooted in Fidel Castro's communist project.
Historical Context and Present Ties
"Cuba is a state essentially founded with the singular goal of Marxist degradation and toppling the United States," one official remarked. The report supports this claim with a 1958 letter from Castro, in which he vowed, "I swore to myself that Americans would pay dearly for what they are doing. When this war is over, a much broader and larger war will begin for me."
The officials also linked the regime to organizations active within the United States, explicitly naming Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), CodePink, anti-ICE groups, and university campus movements. They described the DSA as "the next generation of Cuban influence operations in the U.S.," noting its official delegations to the island and meetings with high-ranking regime officials.
Military Presence and International Relations
"This same Cuban network remains alive. It runs through left-wing nonprofits in New York, anti-ICE protests, the DSA, socialist groups nationwide, and every university campus uprising we've seen in recent years," one official noted.
The report also outlines the military presence of adversarial powers on the island: Cuba hosts 18 signal intelligence facilities, three operated by China and two by Russia, whose personnel numbers have tripled since 2023. Since that same year, Cuban mercenaries have fought in Ukraine on behalf of Russia.
The publication aligns with the Trump administration's maximum pressure policy against the regime, which since January 2025 has re-designated Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism, imposed over 240 sanctions, and declared a national emergency in January 2026, identifying the island as an unusual threat to national security.
Concluding the report is a stark warning: "Mistaking Cuba's poverty for its harmlessness is to misunderstand the threat completely. Its power has always been ideological, subversive, and parasitic."
Key Questions on U.S.-Cuba Relations
What is the new State Department report about Cuba?
The report, titled "Cuba: The Capital of 21st Century Communism," accuses the Cuban regime of decades of espionage, ideological subversion, and revolutionary export against the United States.
How is the Cuban regime reportedly influencing the United States?
The regime is said to be connected to extremist left-wing networks globally and within the U.S., influencing organizations such as the Democratic Socialists of America and movements on university campuses.
What military presence does Cuba host from other countries?
Cuba hosts 18 signal intelligence facilities, with some operated by China and Russia, whose personnel have increased since 2023. Cuban mercenaries have also been involved in the conflict in Ukraine on Russia's behalf.