MIAMI — For Marco Rubio, disdain of the Cuban government was practically a birthright.
Raised among Cuban exiles in Florida, his political ascent from local politician to U.S. senator was propelled by an unwavering hardline toward Fidel Castro and his successors.
But the old guard was out. Donald Trump was on his way back in. And a Cuba deal reached by members of President Joe Biden’s administration – which called for the U.S. to remove Havana from its list of state sponsors of terror to win the freedom of 553 political prisoners – would rest in Rubio’s hands.
As members of Biden’s team briefed the incoming secretary of state on the agreement, most expected the zealous Republican to squash the deal as too soft on Cuba’s authoritarian government, according to two people familiar with the meeting.
Instead, a different Rubio emerged, one who appeared to see the world through the lens of America’s top diplomat, rather than a politician winning votes through anti-Castro slogans. He listened carefully with Mike Waltz, the incoming national security adviser. (They put Cuba back on the list, within hours of Trump being sworn in last January.)
