Cardinal Pietro Parolin

Vatican Secretary of State

Appears in 1 story

Office: Secretary of state

Born: January 17, 1955, Schiavon

Education: Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, Pontifical Gregorian University

Previous offices: Titular archbishop of Aquipendium, Apostolic Nuncio to Venezuela

Last updated Nov 2, 2026

Stories

US oil blockade pushes Cuba toward its biggest political test in decades

Force in Play

As of May 2026: Leading Holy See diplomatic engagement on Cuba

The USS Nimitz carrier strike group entered the Caribbean on May 21. The Pentagon was developing military options for Trump while the US intelligence community mapped how Cuba would respond to an attack. One day after issuing a $100 million aid offer and indicting Raúl Castro, Secretary of State Rubio said a negotiated settlement was unlikely.

Updated May 30