"Now is the time for positive change": US State Secy Rubio urges Cubans to partner with CIA

In a post on X, Rubio wrote, "To those who seek to create positive change in Cuba - now is the time. The disappointment of failed promises, corruption, and the privileged lives of only a few; seize this opportunity to create the change you desire through a discreet partnership with the CIA."

Hours before, US President Donald Trump, while addressing a mid-term election rally in Florida, said that US warships could 'do a little stopover' in Cuba, after returning from Iran.

"We're gonna come back from Iran; those beautiful ships will pass Cuba. We'll have one of them stop about 50 yards off the coast. They'll raise up their hands, and then we're gonna send Marco Rubio in to finish up the job," Trump remarked.

Earlier, on September 18, the United States Department of State announced a fresh round of sanctions designating 11 key actors within Cuba's economic and security apparatus, accusing the nation's ruling regime of diverting critical national resources away from everyday citizens to line the pockets of a corrupt military elite.

The latest action targets four state-run enterprises exploiting Cuba's nickel reserves, four military entities engaged in military research and development, and three senior military officials.

Outlining the rationale for the enforcement measures, the State Department condemned Havana's leadership for driving economic hardship across the island.

"For decades, the Cuban regime has channeled all of the island's resources into the hands of a narrow and corrupt military elite, leaving ordinary Cubans without reliable power, food, or dignity. Today, pursuant to President Trump's Executive Order (E.O.) 14404, 'Imposing Sanctions on Those Responsible for Repression in Cuba and for Threats to United States National Security and Foreign Policy, I am designating 11 actors that fuel this exploitation: four state-run enterprises that strip Cuba's nickel reserves for regime profit, four military enterprises dedicated to research and development for weapons systems, naval capabilities, and battlefield simulation, and three military officials leading them," the US Department of State said in an official release.

The State Department further underscored President Donald Trump's commitment to supporting democratic governance and civil rights for the Cuban people, noting that the administration "will not stand by as Cuba's elite enrich themselves through resource extraction and hoard resources for Cuba's repressive security apparatus while the Cuban people go without."

"President Trump remains committed to a Cuba governed by its people, not by a military class that treats the island's future as its own private inheritance," the release further stated.

The Department further stated that the designations were executed pursuant to an executive order authorising broad economic sanctions against individuals and entities supporting the Cuban regime's security infrastructure, contributing to human rights abuses, or threatening US foreign policy interests. (ANI)