The official account of the Department of State on X amplified three posts about Cuba this Saturday in just 15 minutes, including a video from Fox News in which a commentator states: "This is the Monroe Doctrine in action."
"First the speech, and Secretary Rubio puts it on the table. When socialism and communism are at our doorstep, and nothing is closer to our doorstep than Cuba, the president is taking action," the text concluded.
The three retweets from the Department of State highlighted headlines from Fox News and Breitbart related to Secretary of State Marco Rubio's call for Cubans to collaborate "discreetly with the CIA," turning the institutional amplification into an implicit endorsement of that characterization of the Trump administration's foreign policy.
The episode is the most recent link in a chain of coordinated actions. On Friday, October 23, during a rally in Fort Myers, Florida, President Donald Trump jokingly suggested that military ships returning from Iran could stop about 50 yards off the Cuban coast: "They'll raise their hands, and then we'll send Marco Rubio to close the deal. We don't even have to stop. We can just stick it in there, and he'll sort it out. He's a great guy."
That same night, Rubio posted a direct message to the Cuban people on X: "To those seeking to create positive change in Cuba, now is the time. The disappointment from unfulfilled promises, the corruption in the privileged lives of a few: take this opportunity to create the change you desire through a discreet partnership with the CIA."
The next day, the CIA published an almost identical message in Spanish on its official account, accompanied by a video and a seven-step operational guide on Instagram with digital security instructions, including the use of a VPN outside of Cuba, Russia, Iran, or China, and the creation of disposable emails.
Hours later, the Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) contributed with a quote from its commander, General Francis L. Donovan: “The future of Cuba belongs to those who take action. Seize the moment and build the change you wish to see.”
Analysts described the public coordination between the State Department, the CIA, and Southern Command as unprecedented, marking the first time that a Secretary of State has openly called for the recruitment of collaborators in a foreign country via social media.
The Cuban regime responded with mockery. Vice Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío compared the CIA's offer to toothpaste advertisements, while Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla warned: "On our shores there are beautiful beaches, but also dog tooth."
In contrast, Cuban-American Congressman Carlos A. Giménez praised the initiative: "The regime in Havana must be relegated to the dustbin of history, and I know that day is closer than ever."
The "Donroe Doctrine"—a term that combines the name Donald with the historic Monroe Doctrine—gained traction in 2026 to describe Trump's hemispheric pressure policy against Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, although it is not a doctrine formally adopted by the State Department.
The context of the escalation includes significant milestones: last August, the New York Times revealed the creation of a secret CIA task force dedicated exclusively to Cuba, elevated to "Priority 1" status, alongside China, Iran, and Russia.
The rally in Fort Myers took place in the context of the legislative elections on November 3, 2026, which adds an electoral dimension to the statements about Cuba: Trump received 68% of the Cuban-American vote in Florida in the 2024 elections, according to Reuters.
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