On Monday, July 21st, 2026, the administration of United States President Donald Trump released a 100-page report tying left-wing advocacy groups in the US to Cuba. The report, issued by the State Department, portrays Cuba as an ideological threat to US interests, using language reminiscent of the Cold War era.

The document argues that Cuba, led by a communist government, is attempting to subvert the United States from within. It highlights a so-called “Shakur strategy,” named after Assata Shakur, a Black liberation activist who was convicted of killing a police officer in 1977 before fleeing to Cuba where she was granted asylum. According to the report, Cuba uses this strategy to gain influence in left-wing circles and African-American advocacy groups, including the Black Lives Matter movement.

The State Department, led by Marco Rubio, who is of Cuban descent, emphasized these claims in the report. Additionally, the report notes ongoing issues in Cuba, such as repeated power grid failures causing multiple blackouts in recent days, and mentions the arrival of exiled Cuban artist Otero Alcantara in the US.

A source told Al Jazeera, “I think they’re getting ready for an invasion. I think they’re laying the groundwork, and this is part of the plan – because starving the people is not achieving the ends that they want, which is obviously regime change.”

The report also touches on broader US policy concerns in Latin America, including China, immigration, and drug trafficking.

Sources