Natalie Kitroeff

Okay, so Rubio is absolutely central, you're saying.

Why is this his singular obsession?

Just tell me what his motivations are.

It's interesting, you're saying his career was forged inside this Cuban-American community that, Frenchy told us this as well, has been both powerful and very keen on toppling the Castro regime.

This is Rubio.

This is his people.

And obviously now he has the reins of U.S.

foreign policy as Secretary of State, as National Security Advisor.

So how have you seen this play out for him?

You're saying that Rubio wanted to oust Maduro because he's not in favor of this regime, obviously, but also he sees this as a way of weakening Cuba.

Frenchy had told us that Cuba had come to rely on Venezuela for oil.

And so by getting control of Venezuela's oil, Rubio thinks that he can directly impact the Cuban regime.

Right.

It's just a major loss for the Cuban regime.

And having covered Mexico as the bureau chief there, I can say that the president, Claudia Sheinbaum, just it must have been an incredibly wrenching moment for her.

She's a leftist.

She's the daughter of Marxists.

I mean, she led student protests in the 60s.

She has been an outspoken supporter of the Cuban government.

And I