After Maduro’s Fall, Rubio Warns Cuba Is ‘In A Lot Of Trouble’

Fresh off the historic U.S. military operation that captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, Secretary of State Marco Rubio made it clear Sunday that Cuba is next on Washington’s radar. Appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press, Rubio didn’t mince words: “The Cuban government is a huge problem… they’re in a lot of trouble.”

Pressed on whether Cuba would be the next target, Rubio stayed tight-lipped but sent a pointed message: “I’m not going to talk to you about our future steps… but I don’t think it’s any mystery that we are not big fans of the Cuban regime.”

Translation: the Castro dictatorship should start sweating.

Rubio laid out what many national security experts have known for years but few in power were willing to admit: Cuba didn’t just support Maduro they ran much of his regime.

“He was not guarded by Venezuelan bodyguards,” Rubio said. “He had Cuban bodyguards.”

“Who spies on who to prevent traitors inside the regime? That’s all Cubans,” he added.

According to Rubio, Cuba colonized Venezuela from a security standpoint, embedding its intelligence operatives into Caracas to prop up Maduro’s narco-dictatorship and maintain authoritarian control over the population. The revelation comes just days after U.S. forces stormed Maduro’s compound and flew him to New York, where he now faces federal narcoterrorism and weapons charges.

While President Donald Trump has emphasized a “judicious” transition in Venezuela, he and Rubio are both signaling a larger regional reset a firm reassertion of the Monroe Doctrine, putting the Western Hemisphere back under American strategic leadership after decades of neglect and globalist retreat.

Cuba’s response? Predictable.

In a statement issued after Maduro’s arrest, the communist regime called it “a blatant imperialist and fascist aggression” and warned that the U.S. is aiming to “dominate” the region and plunder its resources. But the truth is, Cuba’s influence has long served as a cancer to Latin American liberty exporting revolution, undermining democracy, and enabling narco-networks.

Key Takeaways:

• Rubio confirmed Cuba's deep involvement in Venezuela’s internal repression and security state.

• The Cuban regime had Maduro under its full protection, even deploying its own intelligence to prevent internal coups.

• The Trump administration is laying the groundwork to clean up the Western Hemisphere, beginning with Venezuela and potentially expanding to Cuba, Mexico, and Colombia countries infiltrated by cartels and communist operatives.

“If I lived in Havana and I was in the government,” Rubio warned, “I’d be concerned, at least a little bit.”

A little bit may not be enough. As Trump administration officials make clear that America is reclaiming leadership in the Western Hemisphere, rogue regimes propped up by drugs, terror, and foreign interference would be wise to get their affairs in order—quickly.

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