The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, accused the Cuban regime of allowing intelligence operations from rival powers such as China and Russia on its territory and issued a direct warning from Washington regarding what he described as an unacceptable threat to U.S. national security.
"We will not allow any foreign military, intelligence, or security apparatus to operate with impunity just 90 miles off the coast of the United States. That will not happen under the presidency of Donald Trump," Rubio stated during an interview with Fox News, recorded on Monday in the Thomas Jefferson Room of the State Department and officially broadcasted this Tuesday.
The head of U.S. diplomacy went beyond traditional political criticism and placed Cuba at the center of a geopolitical landscape characterized by confrontation with rival powers.
According to reports, the regime in Havana has not only failed in managing the country's economy but has also actively facilitated the presence of foreign actors with interests contrary to Washington.
"They have welcomed adversaries of the United States to operate within Cuban territory against our national interests, with complete impunity," he stated.
Cuba on the Geopolitical Chessboard: Espionage, Alliances, and U.S. Pressure.
Rubio's accusations are supported by recent reports.
A study by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) identified at least four signal intelligence facilities operated by China on the island: Bejucal, El Wajay, Calabazar, and El Salao.
The latter, located in Santiago de Cuba, just 70 miles from the Guantanamo Naval Base, has been a particular concern due to its technological capabilities.
According to satellite images analyzed until March 2024, these facilities have undergone progressive expansion since 2021 and have systems capable of tracking signals thousands of kilometers, which significantly extends surveillance reach over U.S. territory and the region.
The presence of China is accompanied by Russian activity.
Moscow maintains an intelligence base in Cuba and, according to estimates cited by U.S. officials, has recruited thousands of Cubans to fight in Ukraine since 2022, with numbers that could reach 20,000.
In this context, Washington has intensified its monitoring operations.
In February of this year, a U.S. Air Force spy plane flew over the Cuban coast as part of Operation Southern Spear, aimed at assessing military capabilities and defense systems on the island.
Rubio's statements fall within a strategy of maximum pressure driven by the Trump administration since the beginning of the year.
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