CIA director John Ratcliffe met Cuban officials in Havana on Thursday, the Cuban government announced, in what they’re calling a good-faith effort to improve dialogue between the US and the communist-run island. Because nothing says “dialogue” like a surprise visit from the head of American espionage.
The meeting occurred “in a context marked by the complexity of bilateral relations,” according to a Cuban statement, which is diplomatic-speak for “things have been awkward since the fuel blockade.” The CIA did not immediately respond to a request for comment, presumably because they were busy debriefing.
The Cubans took the opportunity to emphasize that they are not, in fact, a threat to US national security, nor do they belong on the list of countries that allegedly sponsor terrorism. “Cuba does not constitute a threat,” the statement insisted, adding that Havana “has never supported any hostile activity against the United States, nor will it permit actions against any other nation to be carried out from Cuba.” This was likely aimed at allegations of a Chinese presence, because apparently we’re still playing Cold War bingo.
The visit comes after US-Cuba relations deteriorated significantly, with Washington imposing a fuel blockade in January and President Donald Trump slapping sanctions on the island while musing about taking it over. Conditions on the ground are poor, with regular power outages and supply shortages becoming the norm - not exactly a thriving tourist destination.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio has renewed an offer of $100m (£74.6m) in aid, but with a catch: the money must be distributed by the Catholic church, bypassing the Cuban government entirely. Cuba’s president Miguel Diaz-Canel took to X to suggest a simpler solution: “The damage could be eased in a much simpler and faster way by lifting or relaxing the blockade, since it is known that the humanitarian situation is coldly calculated and induced.” He added that if Washington showed “true willingness” to provide aid, “it will encounter no obstacles or ingratitude from Cuba.”
Despite the tensions, intergovernmental talks are ongoing, with a high-level diplomatic meeting taking place in Havana on 10 April - the first time a US government plane has landed in the Cuban capital since 2016. Baby steps.