Marco Rubio: We can't IGNORE the threat of Cuba

E. ESPIONAGE SUPERPOWER. SECRETARY, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE. YOU BACK. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> LED TO BE BACK HERE. >> THERE'S SO MUCH TO TALK ABOUT. BUT I WANT TO START WITH CUBA. THIS HAS BEEN A PARTICULAR. INTEREST TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT. RIGHT NOW. YOU GUYS RELEASED A 100 PAGE. REPORT ON CUBA CALLING IT A. CAPITALIST 21st CENTURY. COMMUNISM. THIS REPORT TALKS ABOUT THE FACT. THAT CUBA'S GOAL IS TO ERASE THE. UNITED STATES FROM THE EARTH.

IT ALSO DETAILS THE CUBAN SPY. NETWORK HAS BEEN UNDERMINING. AMERICAN INTERESTS. HOW DID WE GET TO A PLACE FOR. CUBA HAS BECOME SO MUCH OF A. THREAT AGAINST UNITED STATES? >> THIS IS NOT UNFAMILIAR TO US. BUT TO THE AVERAGE AMERICAN UC. CUBA A SMALL COUNTRY 90 MILES. OFF OF OUR SHORES. PEOPLE FORGET WHEN IT COMES TO. THINGS LIKE ESPIONAGE AND. INFLUENCE OPERATIONS THERE AND. INFLUENCE IN ESPIONAGE. SUPERPOWER. THE LOOK OF THE HISTORY. ESPIONAGE IN THE UNITED STATES.

CUBA IS THE ONLY COUNTRY THAT. CONSISTENTLY HAS IMPLANTED IN. EMBEDDED SPIES IN OUR SYSTEM. WITHOUT THE U.S. AMBASSADOR WHO. ENDED UP BEING A CUBAN SPY AND. WAS CONVICTED. WE HAVE HAD THEM THE HIGHEST. DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. ONE OF THE BIGGEST SINGLE. BIGGEST INTELLIGENCE BILLIARDS. IN OUR SYSTEM. ON THE INFLUENCE FRONT IF YOU. LOOK AT ALL LATIN AMERICA EVERY. COMMUNIST LEFT-WING INSURGENCY.

THAT DESTABILIZE GOVERNMENTS. ACROSS THE AGENCY IT'S HELPED IN. MANY CASES ITS BIRTH FROM A. CUBAN INFLUENCE OPERATION. AN IMPORTANT REPORT TO HIGHLIGHT. WHAT THE ROLE WAS THEY PLAYED. >> IT ALSO THE RISE OF AN TEETH. ON RIGHTS RESIGNED 2020 AS WELL. AS THE SURGE OF RADICAL ACTIVISM. WE HAVE SEEN ALL OVER COLLEGE. CAMPUSES. TO THE AVERAGE PERSON DOES. THINGS I THINK FEEL GENERALLY. ORGANIC BUT IT TURNS OUT THERE.

ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT POWERS. CUBA BEING ONE OF THEM, THAT ARE. INFLUENCING ALL OF THESE THINGS. AGAINST THE SAME NETWORK OF. PROTESTERS AROUND THE COUNTRY IN. THE SAME PEOPLE YOU SAW IN THE. STREETS BURNING THINGS IN 2020. THEY BECAME THE PRO HAMAS. PROTESTERS AND WITHIN 48 HOURS. OF MADURO'S ARREST HAD. PREPRINTED SIGNS OUTSIDE THE. COURTHOUSE DEMANDING HIS RELEASE. AND THEN THEY ARE OUT THERE. DOING THE ICE STOPPED PROTECTING. I.C.E. AGENTS. IT IS FUNDED AND ORGANIZED IN. CUBA AS PART OF THAT NETWORK AND.

A CRITICAL PART OF THAT NETWORK. THE NETWORK WEAPONIZED AGAINST. US. THEY TALK OPENLY ABOUT HOW THEY. WILL USE THAT NETWORK TO. PRESSURE AMERICAN POLICYMAKERS. NOT JUST UNITED STATES BUT ALL. OVER THE WORLD. >> CRITICS OF THIS REPORTER. SAYING THESE ARE SCARE TACTICS. TO POTENTIALLY JUSTIFY SOME U.S. MILITARY ACTION AGAINST CUBA. IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING. WE SHOULD TAKE SERIOUSLY IN THE. REPORTS ARE VERY REAL. >> EVERYTHING IS FACTUAL. PEOPLE CAN ARGUE AND THERE ARE.

PLENTY OF PEOPLE IN AMERICAN. ACADEMIA AND FRANKLY THE PRESS. TO SYMPATHIZE WITH THE CUBAN. REGIME AND HAVE FOR A LONG TIME. PART OF HIS MOTIVATED BY THEIR. ANTI-AMERICANISM AND PART OF IT. IS MOTIVATED BY THE IDEOLOGICAL. THINKING. THERE ARE ENOUGH PEOPLE IN. KEYNOTES OF OUR SOCIETY. INCLUDING PROFESSORS AND IN THE. PAST WE HAVE SEEN PEOPLE WITHIN. OUR OWN GOVERNMENT TO SYMPATHIZE. WITH THE CUBAN REGIME. IT'S A WAY TO GET SPIES WITHOUT. PAYING THEM. WE CAN IGNORE THIS THREAT. THE FACT THAT I AM.

CUBAN-AMERICAN AND I GREW UP IN. MIAMI THIS IS 90 MILES FROM OUR. SHORE. A STATE 90 MILES FROM OUR SURE. THAT HAPPENS TO BE ALIGNED WITH. ADVERSARIES TO THE UNITED STATES. IS A NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT TO. OUR COUNTRY. >> I WANT TO MOVE QUICKLY TO. VENEZUELA FOR THE INTERIM. GOVERNMENT AND OPPOSITION. LEADERS THEY ARE TAKING STEPS. TOWARDS A POSSIBLE FUTURE WITH. DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS. WHAT ROLE AS THE UNITED STATES. CURRENTLY PLAYING? >> THE FIRST THING ABOUT. VENEZUELA IS PERSISTENCE.

YOU ARE DEALING WITH THE SYSTEM. THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR OVER A. QUARTER-CENTURY SO THOSE ARE. DEEP REJECTED U.S. U.S. AND IT'S. ALSO A COUNTRY THAT FACES A LOT. OF PROBLEMS A LOT OF ECONOMIC. PROBLEMS AND THEY RECENTLY HAD. AN EARTHQUAKE. PHASE 1 THE PRIORITY OF. STABILIZATION. WE DIDN'T WANT THE COUNTRY TO. DEVOLVE INTO CIVIL WAR AND MASS. MIGRATION AND CIVIL ARRESTS. STEP TWO IS THE RECOVERY STAGE. STAGE WHICH WE ARE INTO AN. EARTHQUAKE ADDS COMPLEXITY TO IT. BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A. FUNCTIONING ECONOMY. WE NEED TO HAVE LAWS AND RULES.

AND REGULATIONS IN PLACE SO. INVESTORS FROM AMERICA AND. AROUND THE WORLD CAN SAFELY. INVEST AND CREATE PROSPERITY. ULTIMATELY YOU HAVE TO HAVE. PROSPERITY. LEGITIMATE ELECTIONS AT EVERY. LEVEL SO THERE'S A LEGITIMATE. GOVERNMENT CHOSEN BY THE PEOPLE. IN STEP ONE TOWARDS THAT AS A. NATIONAL RECONCILIATION. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE. BEEN INVITED POLITICALLY --. DIVIDED POLITICALLY AGAINST EACH. OTHER. WE SAW WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE. FALL OF SOVIET UNION FOR THE.

ROLE OF U.S. GOVERNMENT. CONTINUED TO PLAY AS A. FACILITATOR'S. >> YEAH BEEN OUTSPOKEN FOR MANY. YEARS ABOUT THE THREAT FROM. CHINA IMPRISON XI WAS IN. WASHINGTON D.C. IN SEPTEMBER. HE SAT ACROSS THE TABLE FROM. CHINA'S FOREIGN MINISTER AND YOU. HAD TO NEGOTIATE AND TALK ON. AMERICA'S BEHALF. HOW HAVE YOU FOUND IN THIS ROLE. NEGOTIATING WITH BEIJING? >> ALL THE THINGS THAT CHINA. WANTS IS THE MOST POWERFUL. COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.

OBVIOUSLY WE ARE AMERICANS AND. WE WON'T ALLOW IT TO HAPPEN. THE SAME TIME WE ARE THE TWO. MOST POWERFUL ECONOMIES IN THE. WORLD IN THE TWO MOST MELLOW. POWERFUL MILITARY ALL THOSE OURS. IS FURTHER ALONG. THE TWO MOST POWERFUL COME. COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD HAVE TO. HAVE A RELATIONSHIP AND THE. ABILITY TO SPEAK TO ONE ANOTHER. IN THE CONFLICT WHERE POSSIBLE. BECAUSE IT CAN LEAD TO BAD. THINGS. THE FOUNDATION IS THE. RELATIONSHIP PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS. WITH PRESIDENT XI WHICH IS. MUTUAL RESPECT AND THEY GET. ALONG. THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT OUR.

TWO PRESIDENT CAN SPEAK TO ONE. ANOTHER. IT'S ALMOST A RESPONSIBLE TO NOT. HAVE DIRECT COMMUNICATIONS WITH. THE CHINESE. WE WANT STABILITY IN A. RELATIONSHIP AND BOTH SIDES. RECOGNIZE THERE ARE AREAS WHERE. WE WON'T AGREE INCLUDING AREAS. WE HAVE TO COMPETE FOR THEIR. AREAS WE CAN WORK TOGETHER ON. AND THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC FOR. THE WORLD THAT THERE'LL BE AREAS. OF COMPETITION. WE HAVE TO MANAGE THAT AT THE. SAME TIME AS WE HAVE TO HAVE A. RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM BUT WE. HAVE TO LOOK OUT WHAT'S BEST. BEST FOR AMERICA SPEND IT SEEMS.

LIKE CHINA'S BEEN ON THEIR BEST. BEHAVIOR KNOWING PRESIDENT TRUMP. IS IN THE WHITE HOUSE. A LOT OF PEOPLE BELIEVE THEY MAY. BE BIDING THEIR TIME IN TERMS OF. POSSIBLY TAKING OVER TAIWAN. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THAT? >> I CAN'T SPEAK TO 20 OR 30. YEARS FROM NOW BUT OUR POSITION. IS WE SUPPORT, WE DON'T SUPPORT. ANY CHANGE TO THE CURRENT STATUS. QUO THAT EXISTS THERE NOW. WE WOULD BE AGAINST ANY. COMPELLED OR COERCED CHANGE IN. STATUS FOR THAT POINT WAS MADE. CLEAR IN OUR MEETINGS WITH THE. CHINESE AND OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVE. A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW AND.

ASSESS SENSITIVE ISSUE FOR THEM. AS PART OF THAT DELICATE. BALANCING ACT. ANY CONFLICT IN THE U.S. AND. CHINA BE IT ECONOMIC OR MILITARY. WOULD BE TO BOTH COUNTRIES INTO. THE WORLD. WE HAVE TO MANAGE THAT BUT WE. CAN'T WALK AWAY. THIS IS THE HARD WORK OF. FOREIGN-POLICY AND REQUIRES THE. ADMINISTRATION TO BALANCE THESE. TWO PROCESSES. >> WE HEAR A LOT OF THE TENSIONS. WITH CHINA AND A LOT OF THAT. TENSIONS WITH RUSSIA AND IRAN. DAILY. AMERICANS AT SOME POINT GET.

OVERWHELMED BECAUSE. UNFORTUNATELY THE GOOD STUFF. DOESN'T MAKE IT OUT THERE OFTEN. ENOUGH. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ABOUT THE. STABILITY OF THE WORLD RIGHT NOW. GIVEN YOUR POSITION AND THE. PRESIDENT? AND I THINK THE WORLD HAS BEEN. COMPLICATED AND TRICKY BUT DID. DIFFERENCES SOMETHING HAPPENS. HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD AND ITS. DRAMATIC YOU WILL HEAR ABOUT IT. ALMOST INSTANTANEOUSLY. THE WORLD IS GOING THROUGH A. RAPID TRANSFER TAKE --.

TRANSFORMATION OF A GEOPOLITICAL. REORDERING THAT'S OCCURRING. I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS. REPEATEDLY. AFTER THE END OF THE COLD WAR. EVERYBODY THOUGHT THE WORLD. WOULD BECOME A FREE ENTERPRISE. DEMOCRACY AND EVERYONE WOULD GET. ALONG IN NATIONSTATES WOULD NO. LONGER MATTER. WE MADE DECISIONS ON FOREIGN. POLICY ON THAT BASIS THAT CAUSED. US TO HURT OUR COUNTRY. WE STARTED SAYING THINGS LIKE WE. DON'T CARE ABOUT ANOTHER COUNTRY. AS LONG AS IT'S CHEAPER PRICES. FOR AMERICA AND IT ENDED UP. DE-INDUSTRIALIZING OUR COUNTRY. AND COST MILLIONS OF JOBS. WHAT YOU SEE PRESIDENT TRUMP.

DOING IS REBALANCING THE. ECONOMIST TARIFFS AND. GEOPOLITICS USING OUR PRESENCE. IN THE WORLD ESPECIALLY IN THE. WESTERN HEMISPHERE AND THE. NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE LIVE IN. OF COURSE THERE ARE LEGACY. THREADS LIKE THE IRANIAN NUCLEAR. PROGRAM WHICH CAN NEVER HAPPEN. IF THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN CLEAR. ABOUT THAT. YOU HAVE THE OLD THREATS AND. EMERGING NEW AND HAPPENING AT. THE SAME TIME. HE WILL BE THE WORK OF THI.