Rare visit by the CIA director to Cuba: dialogue despite a complex relationship
Havana has disclosed a rare visit by the Director of the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), John Ratcliffe, to Cuba, amid strained relations between the two countries.
The senior U.S. official met with Cuban officials in Havana “as part of efforts to strengthen dialogue between the United States and the island,” according to an announcement by the Cuban government.
The statement said the meeting took place “in a context of complexity characterizing bilateral relations, with the aim of contributing to political dialogue between the two countries.”
The CIA did not comment on the Cuban statement.
The Cuban government indicated that the discussions “demonstrated that Cuba does not in any way constitute a threat to the national security of the United States and that there are no legitimate grounds for including it on the list of states allegedly sponsoring terrorism.”
The statement also stressed that Cuba “has never supported any hostile activity against the United States and will not allow actions against any other country to be launched from its territory,” in reference to U.S. accusations that it hosts Chinese facilities.
The visit comes at a time when relations between the United States and Cuba have significantly deteriorated, after Washington imposed a fuel embargo on the island in January.
U.S. President Donald Trump has also imposed sanctions on Cuba and publicly spoken about the idea of “taking control” of the island.
Conditions on the island remain difficult, with frequent power outages and shortages of supplies.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reiterated an offer of $100 million in aid, on the condition that it be distributed by the Catholic Church rather than the government.
In a post on X, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel urged the United States to lift the blockade instead.
He said that “the damage could be mitigated in a much simpler and faster way by lifting or easing the blockade,” denouncing a “manufactured” humanitarian situation.
However, he added that if Washington showed a “genuine willingness” to provide assistance, Cuba would not present “any obstacles or refusal.”
Despite tensions, talks between the two governments continue. A high-level diplomatic meeting was held in Havana on 10 April, alongside the first landing of a U.S. government aircraft in the Cuban capital since 2016.
