Cuba and US exchange accusations over left-wing 'terrorism' and far-right alliances

The exchange began when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Cuba of helping to forge the far-left in the United States and the hemisphere, during a ministerial meeting in Washington on the resurgence of political terrorism. In response, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel accused the US of promoting far-right alliances reminiscent of Hitlerian fascism and Operation Condor, escalating tensions between the two countries.

The accusation

Rubio stated that the Cuban regime's 'vast intelligence and ideological network' remains 'inextricably linked to extreme left-wing groups and movements across the West and beyond.' He described left-wing political terrorism as a 'real and transnational threat' experiencing a resurgence, and criticized communism as not even sounding good in theory. Source: El Caribe

The response

Díaz-Canel countered that the US is promoting 'far-right alliances that recall Hitlerian fascism or the sinister Operation Condor' to attack a supposed global 'radical left.' He questioned whether these accusations seek pretexts for further aggression, and blamed the 'imperial right' for crimes including genocide in Gaza, extrajudicial killings, and the blockade against Cuba. Source: Infobae

The context

The diplomatic spat occurs amid heightened US pressure on Cuba since January 2025, including a petroleum blockade and sanctions that have worsened the island's economic crisis. According to CEPAL, Cuba's economy is projected to contract at least 6.5% in 2025, with independent economists estimating a cumulative drop of over 15% between 2020 and 2025. Source: Diario Libre