Cuba’s Role in the Wider Anti-American Espionage Network
Introduction—On July 20, 2026, the U.S. State Department released the report “Cuba—The Capital of 21st Century Communism.” This hundred-page report took a long look at the history of the conflict between the United States and Cuba since Fidel Castro’s 1959 Revolution. This is the last of a four-part TFP review of this report. (Read the previous article here)
In his book, To Catch a Spy: The Art of Counterintelligence, former CIA Chief of Counterintelligence James Olson opined that, “no foreign intelligence service rankled me more than the Cuban DI (Intelligence Directorate; formerly known as the DGI, or General Intelligence Directorate). It was ruthless, it was devious, and worst of all, it was very, very good. Not only that, but the DGI was Fidel Castro’s instrument of choice in carrying out his personal vendetta against the CIA and the United States.”
Mr. Olson’s assessment is certainly credible. A Cuban spy would have a far easier time blending into U.S. society than a Russian spy. In many major cities—and even in some rural areas— speaking in Spanish attracts no notice. Substantial Hispanic populations in many cities mean that a Cuban spy can easily procure housing and the other necessities of life. Havana’s proximity to the United States means that Cuban Intelligence officials can easily gather vast amounts of information about U.S. cultural life from their own offices.
Remarkable Resourcefulness
However, Cuba never acted in a vacuum. Before 1991, it often acted in conjunction with and under the instructions of the Soviet Union. Since the U.S.S.R.’s fall, Cuba has had many allies in their subversive fight against the United States. The State Department’s report, Cuba—The Capital of 21st Century Communism, refers to this shadowy network as the “Anti-American Internationale.”
Cuba established this network by presenting itself as the helpless victim in a game of power politics on the highest level. Thus, it elevated its profile among the world’s less prosperous nations, especially in Latin America and Africa. Using this narrative, even the most reliable U.S. allies would join to protest any overt U.S. action against Cuba. Simply put, Cuba made itself the focus of every anti-American faction around the world.
Cuba has two great assets on this front, and it is quite willing to share them with other enemies of the United States. These enemies include the modern Russian state, China, Iran and a variety of Latin American nations, as well as non-state actors—particularly Palestinians.
Cuba’s Espionage Assets
First, and foremost, among its advantages is its geographic proximity to the United States. This makes Cuba an excellent listening post as well as a base for the world’s espionage agents. One of the downsides of the economic blockade of Cuba is that the United States has no influence there. Even if the various U.S. security agencies know what is going on there, they cannot limit those activities. The mere fact that some nation or another is a thorn in the side of the United States is sufficient for Cuba to roll out the red carpet to greet its representatives.
The second is a residual of their long-time relationship with the Soviet Union. Cuba was intimately familiar with KGB-era methods. The techniques of Cold War-era spycraft remain effective. Cuba is not only willing to employ them against the United States but also eager to train and assist other enemies of the United States to use them as well.
Cuba and Russia
Even though modern Russia retains only a shadow of the Soviet Union’s strength, that fact has amplified the importance of its reliable connections with Cuba. The State Department report sketches the parameters of the modern relationship.
“Cuba and Russia enjoy a highly active and continually expanding intelligence partnership defined by both parties’ respective comparative advantages. In exchange for Russian credit, energy, military hardware, and technical capabilities, Cuba offers Russia prime real estate just 90 miles off the Florida coast, access to a constellation of anti-American “solidarity” networks, and collaboration with DI. As Cuba increasingly relies on Russian energy and assistance, Russia is seeking to leverage the deepening relationship to revitalize its old intelligence networks in the Western Hemisphere.”
One especially interesting aspect of this relationship is the expansion of Russian technology companies within Cuba. This offers locations out of the reach of Russia’s increasing number of enemies, and very close to Russia’s clients in Nicaragua and, until recently, Venezuela.
The Chinese Connection
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has also discovered the benefits of a cordial relationship with Cuba. Subsequently, the CCP is eager to provide the economic aid that Cuba has lacked since the fall of the U.S.S.R. That support has taken several forms—direct assistance to the government, canceled debts, and tens of billions of dollars in business investments. For example, in 2023, Cuba allowed China to construct an extensive electronic surveillance network. In return, China provided Cuba with several billion dollars. According to a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, this places Chinese equipment “within listening range of two U.S. military headquarters overseeing operations in the Middle East and Latin America.”
Like Cuba, China is eager to use its facilities and expertise to assist enemies of the United States to consolidate their ruling party’s internal power. As the State Department report points out, “China provides repressive regimes in the region with surveillance technologies designed to stifle dissent and marginalize pro-U.S. opposition parties.”
The CCP is also adept at increasing tensions with the U.S. over areas that the U.S. has long considered its “backyard.” As the report warns, “Recent Chinese wargames have involved combat scenarios in Latin America and the Caribbean, reflecting Beijing’s view that the region could be a viable theater in a future conflict with the United States.”
The Threat
The United States would be foolish to neglect such threats. This is especially true in light of the rapidly growing popularity of the Democratic Socialists of America. The DSA has long courted Cuba’s leadership since 2022. In both 2023 and 2025, the DSA sent cadres of its leaders to Cuba, where they have been cordially received.
Of course, if the DSA fails to continue to accumulate strength, these efforts could come to nothing. On the other hand, if it continues to gain political influence in the United States at its current rate, many of its members would be delighted to carry out Cuba’s longtime goal of weakening the United States and spreading its Revolution to this side of the Straits of Florida.
That scenario is frightening and unacceptable. Even a regime change might not change the situation. If it follows Venezuela’s model, which kept most Marxists in power, much of this machinery will remain in place. No one should look at Cuba’s outward condition and dismiss the threat out of hand. Cuba deflected U.S. threats in the early sixties and endured the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991. It could achieve the impossible once again, especially if the U.S. sleeps.
