CIA Director Ratcliffe Visited Cuba for Talks

CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Cuba on Thursday for talks with senior officials, including “Raulito” Castro, the grandson of Communist Party of Cuba head Raúl Castro, the CIA told The Hill. Ratcliffe delivered President Donald Trump’s message that Washington is open to engagement only if Havana makes “fundamental changes.” 

In addition to Castro, who has served as an informal intermediary with Washington, Ratcliffe met with Interior Minister Lázaro Álvarez Casas, Cuba’s intelligence chief. The talks covered intelligence cooperation, economic stability, and security concerns.

The Cuban government said the meeting came at Washington’s request. “The information presented by the Cuban side, along with the exchanges held with the U.S. delegation, served to categorically demonstrate that Cuba poses no threat to U.S. national security, nor are there any legitimate grounds for including it on the list of countries alleged to sponsor terrorism,” it said in a statement.

Trump has placed significant pressure on Cuba during his second term, conducting a campaign to cut off its oil imports and threatening a “friendly takeover” of the country.