Marco Rubio is pressing for change in Cuba. Will it work?

NPR | By Michele Kelemen

Published February 28, 2026 at 5:34 PM EST

Secretary of State Marco Rubio walks a diplomatic tightrope in the Caribbean, pressing for change in Cuba while regional leaders warn of a deepening humanitarian and migration crisis.

Michele Kelemen

Michele Kelemen has been with NPR for two decades, starting as NPR's Moscow bureau chief and now covering the State Department and Washington's diplomatic corps. Her reports can be heard on all NPR News programs, including Morning Edition and All Things Considered.

See stories by Michele Kelemen

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