Cuba Tried Secret Backchannel to Trump, Bypassing Rubio

Castro's grandson enlisted a Havana businessman to deliver a sealed letter to the White House, but he was stopped in Miami.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 2:55pm

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A moody, cinematic painting of a lone Cuban official sitting at a desk in a dimly lit Havana office, staring out a window at the faint glow of the city skyline at night, capturing the tense, uncertain mood of the U.S.-Cuba relationship.As tensions escalate between the U.S. and Cuba, the Castro regime's secret attempt to bypass diplomatic channels and appeal directly to the White House reveals the government's growing desperation.Today in Miami

According to reports, the Cuban government attempted to bypass normal diplomatic channels and Secretary of State Marco Rubio by having the grandson of former leader Raul Castro enlist a Havana businessman to personally deliver a sealed letter to the White House. The letter floated ideas for economic and investment deals, asked for sanctions relief, and warned that Havana is preparing for U.S. military action. However, the would-be courier was stopped by Customs and Border Protection officers in Miami and sent back to Havana.

Why it matters

This effort suggests that the Cuban government no longer trusts Rubio, a longtime hardliner on Cuba policy, to be a fair interlocutor and instead wants to appeal directly to President Trump as the country's economy struggles. It also raises concerns about potential escalating tensions between the U.S. and Cuba, with the Pentagon reportedly stepping up planning for a possible Cuba incursion.

The details

According to the Wall Street Journal, the letter was described as resembling a formal diplomatic cable and bearing an official Cuban seal. It was delivered by 37-year-old luxury car and resort entrepreneur Roberto Carlos Chamizo González, who was enlisted by Raul Castro's influential grandson and aide Raul Rodríguez Castro. Chamizo González never made it past Miami, as he was stopped by Customs and Border Protection officers, who seized the letter and sent him back to Havana.

  • Last week, Raul Rodríguez Castro enlisted Chamizo González to deliver the sealed letter to the White House.

The players

Raul Rodríguez Castro

The influential grandson and aide of former Cuban leader Raul Castro, who led the effort to bypass normal diplomatic channels and deliver a sealed letter directly to the White House.

Roberto Carlos Chamizo González

A 37-year-old Havana businessman and luxury car and resort entrepreneur who was enlisted by Raul Rodríguez Castro to deliver the sealed letter to the White House, but was stopped by U.S. authorities in Miami.

Marco Rubio

The U.S. Secretary of State and a longtime hardliner on Cuba policy, whom the Cuban government reportedly no longer trusts to be a fair interlocutor.

Donald Trump

The former U.S. President, to whom the Cuban government was attempting to deliver a sealed letter directly, bypassing normal diplomatic channels and Rubio.

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What they’re saying

“This effort suggests that they no longer trust Rubio to be a dispassionate interlocutor and want to appeal directly to the president to resolve the escalating crisis.”

— Peter Kornbluh, Co-author of 'Back Channel to Cuba: The Hidden History of Negotiations Between Washington and Havana'

What’s next

The White House has not indicated whether President Trump ever saw the message from the Cuban government. Analysts say this incident highlights the escalating tensions between the U.S. and Cuba, with the Pentagon reportedly stepping up planning for a possible military incursion into Cuba.

The takeaway

This attempted secret backchannel communication from Cuba to the Trump White House, bypassing the U.S. Secretary of State, underscores the deteriorating relationship between the two countries and the Cuban government's desperation to appeal directly to the president as its economy struggles under U.S. sanctions. It also raises concerns about the potential for further escalation of tensions and even military conflict between the U.S. and Cuba.