US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday dismissed as “fake” a New York Times report claiming US officials had pressed Cuba to remove President Miguel Díaz-Canel.
In a late-night post on X, Rubio rejected the article, accusing it of relying on “charlatans and liars claiming to be in the know” as sources.
The Times reported Monday that officials under President Donald Trump had asked Cuba to oust Díaz-Canel — viewed as a hardliner unwilling to change — but stopped short of pushing for full regime change or issuing an ultimatum.
Rubio did not specify which parts of the report he disputed.
The denial comes amid Trump’s intensified pressure on Cuba, including halting Venezuelan oil shipments after US forces deposed President Nicolás Maduro in January.
Trump has expressed interest in an unspecified “deal” with Cuba while boasting he could take over the country due to its weakness.
Cuba, unlike Venezuela and Iran, lacks significant oil wealth but holds symbolic importance in US domestic politics, particularly among Cuban-American lawmakers in Trump’s Republican Party who have long advocated for pressure on Havana.
