A Cuban descendant is Trump’s Man Friday for his Venezuela goal — and there’s a reason for it

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, has emerged as one of the primary architects of the Trump administration’s Venezuela policy. Over the years, Rubio has positioned himself as a key Republican voice on Latin America, drawing on both his background and political influence to advocate a hard line against the government in Caracas.

Rubio cut his political teeth with the backing of influential Cuban exiles who rose to prominence within the GOP during President Ronald Reagan’s Cold War years. That network not only shaped his early political career but also helped him build credibility on issues related to Cuba, Venezuela and left-wing regimes across the region.

His personal history, combined with close ties to the Cuban and Venezuelan diasporas in the United States, has given Rubio significant clout within the Trump administration. These connections have translated into a direct role in shaping Washington’s approach towards Venezuela, placing him at the centre of efforts that could influence the country’s political future.

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Rubio is the second son and third child of Mario Rubio Reina and Oriales (née García) Rubio. His parents immigrated to the United States from Cuba in 1956 during the regime of Fulgencio Batista, more than two years before Fidel Castro came to power following the Cuban Revolution.

Warning to Cuba after Maduro’s capture

A day after the US carried out a military operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Rubio issued a fresh warning to Cuba. Speaking to NBC News’ Meet the Press, the secretary of state said he believed Cuba was “in a lot of trouble”.

“I’m not going to talk about what our future steps or policies will be at this point,” Rubio said. “But it is no secret that we are not big fans of the Cuban regime, which, by the way, was propping up Maduro.”

Trump links Cuba and Venezuela

Trump on Saturday drew a comparison between Cuba and Venezuela, telling reporters that Cuba was also a failing nation and one the US would have to address. “I think Cuba is going to be something we’ll end up talking about, because Cuba is a failing nation right now, a very badly failing nation, and we want to help the people,” he said.

The president added that the situation was similar to Venezuela, noting that Washington wanted to help both the Cuban people and those who were forced to leave the country and are now living in the United States.

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Claims of Cuban involvement around Maduro

On Sunday, Rubio said Cuban officials had been present with Maduro in Venezuela ahead of his capture. Speaking to Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker, the secretary of state said it was Cubans who were responsible for guarding Maduro, not Venezuelan personnel.

“He was not guarded by Venezuelan bodyguards. He had Cuban bodyguards,” Rubio said. He added that Cuban officials also controlled internal intelligence within Maduro’s government, including monitoring loyalty and identifying potential traitors. “Those are all Cubans,” he said.