On Tuesday, Roger Stone, a political strategist and adviser to former President Donald Trump, released a report criticizing Florida Congressman Carlos Giménez (FL-28) for not addressing the activities of Crowley Maritime Corporation. Crowley is a Florida-based defense contractor that operates cargo and freight services in Cuba’s Mariel Port under Cuban military oversight.
Crowley Maritime holds $2.3 billion in Defense Freight Transportation Services contracts and $343 million in Maritime Prepositioning Force contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense. The company has been active in Cuba since 2001, working under authorization from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The report points out concerns about national security due to Cuba’s cooperation with countries such as China, Russia, and Iran. There are also concerns about espionage because of Chinese intelligence facilities near Havana.
Stone’s report highlights several Cuban signals intelligence sites—Bejucal, Wajay, Calabazar, and El Salao—that have operated since 1992. These sites reportedly intercept U.S. military communications and track rocket launches from Cape Canaveral. According to Stone, Bejucal now includes a new Circularly Disposed Antenna Array (CDAA), while Wajay has expanded its antenna complex.
The report includes mention of a photograph showing Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez at a Crowley Maritime event in Havana.
In response to questions about his findings, Stone said,
“It is both disappointing and troubling that Congressman Giménez—co-sponsor of the Security Act of 2023—has failed to use his chairmanship of the House Homeland Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security to, at the very least, criticize and expose Crowley’s role in propping up and doing business with the regime. His willful blindness, given his responsibility for maritime security and his personal connection to the Cuban- American community, represents a serious failure to confront both a clear national security threat and a profound moral issue.”
Stone also criticized Giménez for not questioning Crowley’s activities during an April 5, 2024 Joint Field Hearing on Port Safety where James C. Fowler from Crowley Shipping was present as a panelist. He added,
“It’s even more disconcerting that Giménez had multiple opportunities to scrutinize Crowley’s activities in Cuba—particularly during the Joint Field Hearing on Port Safety, Security, and Infrastructure Investment on April 5, 2024, where James C. Fowler, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Crowley Shipping, was a panelist. Yet neither Congressman Giménez nor his close ally, Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart, questioned Fowler about Crowley’s Cuban operations or related security risks, including potential vulnerabilities while subcontracting for the Department of Defense. Adding insult to injury, Diaz-Balart has received campaign contributions from Crowley.”
He concluded,
“Among certain Cuban-American politicians and ‘influencers,’ it has become a trend to base their entire appeal on ‘opposition’ rhetoric to the regime. This level of inaction leads many to believe that, to them, it’s nothing more than cash register politics.”
General Michael Flynn also commented on these issues:
“President Donald Trump should make Cuba part of the deal as he ends the corrupt war in Ukraine. And Rep. Giménez should stop shielding them:
“President Donald Trump should make Cuba part of the deal as he ends the corrupt war in Ukraine. And Rep. Giménez should stop shielding them”
Cuba continues its role as an ally for U.S adversaries by hosting Russian naval visits and supporting diplomatic ties with Iran while providing space for Chinese signals intelligence operations.
By operating within this environment through authorized channels such as OFAC licenses—which allow limited commercial engagement between some U.S.-based companies like Crowley Maritime Corp., despite broader embargoes—the company exposes itself to geopolitical risks associated with facilitating trade under foreign military supervision.
