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The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, announced this Wednesday the arrest of Carlos Antonio Lloga Domínguez, a former official of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), along with his family on U.S. territory.
This is an action that reinforces Washington's policy of pressure against the influence structures of the Cuban regime.
The former official, his wife, and his son remain in federal custody, awaiting their deportation.
The measure was announced through a strong message posted by Rubio on the social network X, as well as through an official statement from the Department of State, detailing the revocation of Carlos Antonio Lloga Domínguez's legal status and his subsequent arrest by federal agents.
In his post, Rubio was categorical in describing the role of the ICAP.
"For decades, the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) has served as a vehicle for radical left-wing extremism and subversive foreign influence in the United States and throughout the hemisphere," Rubio described.
The Secretary of State then emphasized that this organization operates as a key component within the intelligence apparatus of the Cuban regime and highlighted that the detained former official of ICAP "has connections with the organization."
He added, moreover, that the ICAP is not only limited to propaganda, but also "exploits its vast global network to spy on Americans, promote anti-Western propaganda, coordinate foreign influence operations, and organize leftist revolutionary movements worldwide."
The case of Lloga Domínguez falls within this strategy.
Direct warning: Sanctions, proceedings, and deportations
Rubio's message was not limited to announcing the arrest. It also included a clear and direct warning to both individuals and organizations that maintain ties with ICAP:
"The United States will never be a refuge for foreign communists who spread propaganda, conduct subversive influence operations, or support anti-American radical movements within the country."
Furthermore, he issued a strong warning: "If you engage in transactions with ICAP, you will be sanctioned, prosecuted, or deported from our country."
This statement reinforces the extraterritorial reach of the measures adopted by the U.S. administration.
The official statement also emphasizes that, under Executive Order 14404 signed by President Donald Trump, all property and financial interests of ICAP are blocked, and any transaction with this entity is prohibited without express authorization from the Department of the Treasury or the Department of State.
It also warns that any foreigner linked to subversive activities associated with ICAP could face deportation proceedings in the near future.
The statement from the State Department provides more details about the detainee's profile.
According to the official document, Lloga Domínguez worked for over a decade as a "foreign subversive" linked to the main group of influence of the Cuban regime in the United States, maintaining active connections with transnational networks.
A global network under the scrutiny of Washington
The State Department describes ICAP as the core of an extensive international influence network that reaches over 2,000 organizations in more than 150 countries.
This network, according to Washington, is closely linked to Cuban intelligence services and serves as a platform for the regime's ideological projection.
One of the elements that reinforce this accusation is the figure of its current president, Fernando González Llort, identified in the statement as a "convicted Cuban spy" who served 15 years in prison in the United States for his involvement in the Wasp Network, a spy ring that was dismantled in Florida in the 1990s.
U.S. authorities assert that ICAP has maintained a significant presence in North American territory, where it has promoted anti-American propaganda, cultivated relationships with activists and political figures aligned with the regime, and exerted political pressure at various levels.
In the words of the statement, the organization has facilitated "close working relationships between Havana and radical U.S. groups", using spaces from the more radical left as a vehicle to expand the ideology of the Cuban regime.
Context: Escalation of sanctions against the Cuban regime
This arrest occurs in a context of increasing pressure from Washington against the Cuban regime.
In recent weeks, the U.S. government has intensified sanctions against key entities such as the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR) and ICAP itself, which are regarded as historical pillars of the island's political system.
These actions are part of a broader strategy aimed at weakening the regime's internal control structures and international presence.
Since January 2026, the Trump administration has imposed more than 240 sanctions targeting officials, companies, and agencies connected to the power in Cuba.
Rubio has defended these measures, arguing that they target "the broad and violent network of radical action of the Cuban regime," which he accuses of operating beyond the borders of the island to influence international politics.
In this scenario, the arrest of Lloga Domínguez marks a new step in U.S. policy, aiming not only to sanction institutions but also to take direct action against individuals deemed part of the regime's networks of influence.
The case sends a clear message: Washington is prepared to take an even tougher stance against any activity it deems linked to Havana's political and ideological outreach in U.S. territory.
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