U.S. accuses Cuba of sweeping spy campaign, aiding American left

Lead

A newly released US State Department report accuses Cuba of running an extensive spy and influence network inside the United States, alleging that Havana has infiltrated the highest levels of the US government and supported left-wing movements, including protests tied to Antifa, Hamas, and Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro. The report, titled "Cuba: The Capital of 21st Century Communism," was published Monday without a listed author and has drawn sharp criticism from some US lawmakers and observers who describe its claims as overstated and lacking in evidence.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a Cuban American who has made confronting Cuba a priority, has amplified the report's findings, saying in a recent interview that Cuba is "an influence and espionage superpower" and that it has consistently embedded spies within US systems.

Coverage comparison

Coverage of the report varies widely in tone and emphasis. The Guardian frames the report as an escalation in a US "maximum-pressure" campaign against Cuba, noting that it blames Havana for everything from the George Floyd riots to the rise of antifa. The Guardian's reporting highlights the contrast between the report's allegations and the situation inside Cuba, where the country is said to be suffering under a US oil blockade and sanctions.

The Jerusalem Post focuses on Rubio's public statements, detailing his claims about a Cuban spy network, including the conviction of an ambassador and alleged links to protests supporting Antifa, Hamas, and Maduro. The Post presents Rubio's assertions with relatively little pushback, though it notes the allegations in the context of broader US-Cuba tensions.

The Hindu reports the State Department's allegations, including that Cuba has "infiltrated the highest reaches of the U.S. government" and backed "left-wing terrorism," while also noting that the report contains "little new information." The Hindu places the report within the Trump administration's broader pressure campaign, including an oil embargo and sanctions on state-run companies.

The Intercept is the most critical, characterizing the report as "a throwback to the long-settled Cold War" and quoting Democratic lawmakers who call it "the stupidest, most fantastical, most biased thing I've ever read from a governmental agency." The Intercept emphasizes that Cuba is facing a humanitarian crisis due to US sanctions and fuel blockades, and that the report may be aimed at manufacturing consent for an invasion.

Key claims

• The State Department report accuses Cuba of being a "major threat" to the US, alleging that it has infiltrated US civil society and backed left-wing movements. This claim is reported by The Guardian, The Hindu, and The Intercept, though the specifics vary by outlet.

• The report says Cuba has been behind "many of the most significant upheavals in recent American political history," as quoted by The Guardian. This claim is contested by critics who say it has no clear connection to today's issues.

• Rubio, in an interview with Fox News (as reported by the Jerusalem Post), said Cuba operates an extensive spy network, citing the conviction of Ana Belén Montes, a former Defense Intelligence Agency analyst, as one of the "single biggest intelligence failures" of the US.

• The report was published without a listed author, as noted by both The Intercept and The Guardian. This has fueled speculation about its origins, though no official explanation has been given.

• Cuba is said to be facing a humanitarian crisis due to US sanctions and fuel blockades, a point emphasized by The Guardian and The Intercept. This claim is presented as context for why the report's allegations seem implausible to some.

• The US has a history of attempting to assassinate Cuban leaders, including Fidel Castro, with more than 600 attempts reported by The Hindu, citing a former Cuban intelligence chief. This historical context is used by critics to counter the report's allegations.

• The US has imposed an oil embargo on Cuba and issued sanctions against state-run companies, as reported by The Guardian and The Hindu. This is part of what they describe as a "maximum-pressure" campaign.

Perspectives

The US administration, through the State Department and Secretary Rubio, maintains that Cuba poses a unique threat to US security and that its spy network and influence operations are ongoing and significant. Rubio cited arrests and convictions, including that of Ana Montes, as evidence of Cuba's persistent efforts.

Democratic lawmakers Rep. Mark Pocan and Rep. Delia Ramirez, who recently returned from a fact-finding trip to Cuba, have harshly criticized the report. Pocan called it "the stupidest, most fantastical, most biased thing" he had read from a government agency, while Ramirez said it was aimed at manufacturing consent for an invasion and cracking down on dissent at home. Their remarks were reported by The Intercept.