By Bo Erickson and Kanishka Singh
FORT MYERS, Florida, Oct 23 (Reuters) - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on those seeking change in Cuba to partner with the CIA as President Donald Trump said Washington would "take care of Cuba" after dealing with Iran and send in the top US diplomat to finish the deal.
DETAILS AND QUOTES:
• "We'll take care of Cuba on our way back from Iran ...then we're going to send Marco Rubio in to finish up the deal," Trump told a rally in Florida.
• "To those who seek to create positive change in Cuba - now is the time," Rubio, who has been handling much of the Cuba-related policy for Trump, said on X on Friday.
• Rubio urged those disappointed by Cuba's government to "seize this opportunity to create the change you desire through a discrete partnership with the CIA," without elaborating further.
• The Trump administration has previously stated its goal is to change Cuba's communist government.
• A US-imposed oil blockade implemented earlier this year has put Cuba under severe strain as it contends with fuel shortages and blackouts exacerbated by failing infrastructure.
• Washington has maintained an embargo on Cuba for over 60 years.
• The Trump administration has been stepping up pressure on Havana after the US military in January seized then-Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a deadly raid.
• Cuba's foreign minister told the UN General Assembly last month Cuba would always be open for dialogue with Washington.
• UN rights experts have condemned the oil blockade as a violation of international law while rights advocates say the Trump administration's threats have echoed an imperialist approach.
• Trump predicted last month the US and Cuba would reach an agreement and that he did not think military action would be necessary.
(Reporting by Bo Erickson, Kanishka Singh and Bhargav Acharya; Editing by David Ljunggren and Stephen Coates)
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