USA Secretary of State, Marco Rubio has denied reports that the United States is pushing for the removal of Miguel Díaz-Canel.
In a late-night post on X, Rubio dismissed a report by The New York Times as “fake,” accusing it of relying on “charlatans and liars claiming to be in the know.”
The newspaper had reported that officials under Donald Trump urged Cuba to remove Díaz-Canel, but stopped short of calling for the overthrow of the country’s communist government.
Rubio did not clarify whether he was rejecting the entire report or only parts of it.
The reason so many in US media keep putting out fake stories like this one is because they continue to rely on charlatans & liars claiming to be in the know as their sources. https://t.co/mfzZbeO9UT
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) March 18, 2026
According to the report, US officials view Díaz-Canel as a hardliner unlikely to implement meaningful reforms, though Washington had not issued any ultimatum demanding his removal.
Rubio, a Cuban-American former senator from Miami, has long advocated for ending Cuba’s communist system established after Cuban Revolution led by Fidel Castro.
He earlier said Cuba must take more “dramatic” steps beyond recent measures allowing overseas Cubans to invest and own businesses on the island, which is currently facing a deep economic crisis and widespread power outages.
The Trump administration has intensified pressure on Cuba, including restricting oil supplies, worsening the country’s energy shortages and economic hardship.
Trump has also hinted at the possibility of a “deal” with Cuba, while at times boasting about the United States’ ability to take control of the island, describing it as weak.
Despite the pressure, analysts say Washington’s approach in Cuba, similar to its actions in Venezuela and Iran, appears focused more on forcing compliance than outright regime change.