Why Rubio Is Driving the U.S. Pressure Campaign on Cuba

Why It Matters

The campaign risks deepening a humanitarian and geopolitical crisis in Cuba while raising the prospect of broader regional instability and confrontation with U.S.-aligned and allied actors; a successful shift in Cuba’s leadership would be a major foreign-policy win for Rubio and the Trump administration.

Summary

The Trump administration has escalated its pressure campaign against Cuba by indicting former leader Raúl Castro, marking a major diplomatic and legal move against the island’s ruling elite. U.S. actions follow a broader regional effort that included the ousting of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and cuts to Venezuela-to-Cuba oil shipments, which have contributed to severe power and economic crises on the island. Sanctions on Cuban officials, increased U.S. military and intelligence activity, and high-level visits signal an intensified push to force political change in Havana. Policymakers and analysts identify Senator Marco Rubio as a key driver of the strategy, leveraging his long-standing anti-Castro stance and influence within the administration.

Original Description

Our diplomatic correspondent Michael Crowley explains how Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has long lobbied for an end to the regime in Cuba, is ramping up pressure on the island.

Video by Michael Crowley, Nikolay Nikolov, Alexandra Ostasiewicz, Jon Miller and Whitney Shefte/The New York Times

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