Cuba hosts four electronic espionage bases operated by China and two Russian stations of the GLONASS system, as warned by Cuban-American analyst Néstor T. Carbonell in an interview with CiberCuba, where he emphasized that this information comes directly from U.S. intelligence agencies and not from opposition sources.
It refers to the NTC alert about 4 Chinese electronic espionage bases in Cuba, backed by images from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and 2 Russian GLONASS espionage stations in Cuba, reported on May 22, 2026, by the Wall Street Journal from reliable intelligence sources.
Carbonell, a lawyer, veteran of Brigade 2506, and author of the book "Why Does Cuba Import? New Threats in America's Backyard," was unequivocal in describing the extent of the threat. "Today, in Cuba, there are four electronic espionage bases operated by China that extend across the entire southeastern United States, where there are a significant number of military bases."
Chinese facilities do not operate alone. The Cuban regime collaborates with powers that have direct interests in monitoring Washington.
"It is not only the regime itself; it is the regime and its allies, China, Russia, Iran, and narco-terrorist organizations," Carbonell emphasized, outlining a threat he views as systemic and not limited to Havana.
Regarding Russia, Carbonell explained that its two stations in Cuba are part of a broader network. "Russia also has two stations that can interfere with and monitor satellites and other types of organizations. These stations are called GLONASS, and Russia has them in Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, currently operational."
The most uncomfortable fact for Washington is that this presence is not new.
"Those electronic espionage operations, which were four conducted by China across the island, began to be detected by the United States at least five or six years ago," Carbonell noted, pointing to a delayed reaction that places official knowledge around 2019-2020.
This delay coincides with what was documented by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in July 2024. Using satellite images, the center identified four active signal intelligence sites associated with China in Cuba—Bejucal, El Salao, Wajay, and Calabazar—and in December of that same year, increased the count to at least 12 facilities with similar capabilities.
The Bejucal facility, the largest, registered activity with a new interception antenna that became operational in June 2026, according to recent satellite images.
In light of the evidence, the official responses have been contradictory.
Carbonell recalled that Díaz-Canel described the facilities as "military collaborations," while Beijing chose complete denial: "China has denied it emphatically, stating that it has nothing in Cuba."
The analyst believes that the meeting between Trump and Xi Jinping was useful in bringing the issue to the forefront. "I hope he raised that during his conversation with Xi Jinping, there’s no doubt about it."
The Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly accused Cuba in April and June of 2026 of continuing to host active Chinese and Russian intelligence facilities, consistent with what Carbonell has been warning about for years.
For the analyst, the gravity of the situation does not allow for delays. "We are facing an extremely serious situation that requires an appropriate strategy to address that threat," and the information supporting this, he insisted, "comes from U.S. intelligence agencies, with images of these bases, many of which are operated by China and others by Russia."
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