Rubio urges Cubans to work with CIA for political change

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has publicly urged Cubans to collaborate discreetly with the CIA to bring about political change, marking an unprecedented direct appeal from a senior US official. Rubio's statement, posted on social media, encouraged Cubans to partner with the intelligence agency amid growing US pressure on the island. Washington has imposed a de facto oil blockade, sanctioned Cuban officials, and indicted former President Raul Castro, while tensions have risen since the US military operation against Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro in January. The appeal reflects the Trump administration's "maximum pressure" policy, with President Trump joking about stopping a US ship near Cuba's coast. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez rejected the threats, citing the island's inhospitable coastline. The CIA's history in Cuba includes the failed 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion and multiple assassination attempts against Fidel Castro.