In a recent conversation with Fox News, Marco Rubio declared that Cuba is "the sole nation that has systematically implanted and concealed spies within the U.S. system, without even compensating them." This statement was made during the presentation of a State Department report titled "Cuba: The Capital of 21st Century Communism."
The remarks by the U.S. Secretary of State were aired on the show "My View with Lara Trump" and shared through the State Department's official account on X. Rubio described Cuba as a "superpower of espionage and influence operations," despite its modest population of 9.5 million and its proximity of just 90 miles from the U.S. coast.
Notable Espionage Cases
Rubio referenced two notable cases to substantiate his claims. The first involved Ana Belén Montes, a Defense Intelligence Agency analyst who was arrested in 2001 and sentenced to 25 years in prison. Rubio referred to her as "one of the biggest intelligence failures in the U.S. and one of the most significant penetrations into our system." Montes was released in January 2023 after serving her sentence.
The second case highlighted was that of former ambassador Víctor Manuel Rocha, who was sentenced in April 2024 to 15 years in prison and a $500,000 fine for espionage activities on behalf of Cuba since 1973. "We had an ambassador, an American ambassador, who turned out to be a Cuban spy and was recently convicted," Rubio stated.
Cuban Influence Beyond Traditional Espionage
Beyond classic espionage tactics, the Secretary of State linked Cuba's influence network to the 2020 protests, the emergence of Antifa, pro-Hamas activism on college campuses, and actions against immigration officers. "There is nothing organic about it. It's funded, it's organized, and Cuba is part of that network, sometimes playing a critical role," he asserted.
Rubio pointed out that the same demonstrators who "set things on fire in 2020" were seen with "pre-printed signs" in front of a courthouse 48 hours after the capture of Nicolás Maduro, demanding his release, and later joined protests against immigration services.
Cuban Influence in Latin America
Regarding Latin America, the Secretary noted that "every leftist communist insurgency that has destabilized governments in the region over the last 40 or 50 years found its support, assistance, or, in many cases, its origin in a Cuban influence operation."
Addressing criticisms that the report employs "scare tactics" to justify military action, Rubio was firm: "Everything in that report is factual and, frankly, I don't think they can refute it."
He added that there are "enough individuals in key nodes of our society, including professors," with ideological sympathy toward the Cuban regime, which is precisely "how they get spies without paying them."
Cuban Government's Response
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez dismissed the report as a "falsehood" and accused Rubio of fabricating a pretext for aggression against Cuba. Meanwhile, leader Miguel Díaz-Canel branded it as a "neo-McCarthyist pamphlet."
The State Department report, released on July 20, 2026, also links the Cuban regime to intelligence facilities associated with China and Russia on the island, accompanied by a fresh round of sanctions against Havana.
Understanding Cuba's Espionage Activities
What evidence supports Marco Rubio's claims about Cuban espionage?
Rubio cited cases such as Ana Belén Montes and Víctor Manuel Rocha as examples of Cuban espionage efforts within the United States.
How has the Cuban government responded to the U.S. report?
Cuban officials, including Bruno Rodríguez and Miguel Díaz-Canel, have rejected the report, labeling it as a falsehood and a neo-McCarthyist tactic.
What role does Cuba allegedly play in global influence operations?
According to Rubio, Cuba is involved in organizing and funding influence operations, impacting events like the 2020 protests and insurgencies in Latin America.