CIA Director John Ratcliffe led a US delegation to Havana on Thursday to meet with Cuban officials, including his counterpart at the Cuba Interior Ministry. According to the Cuban government, the meeting was intended to improve dialogue between Washington and the communist-run island within a context marked by the complexity of bilateral relations.
A CIA official noted that the US administration wishes to negotiate with the Cuban government, provided that Cuba makes certain changes. During the discussions, Cuban officials presented evidence asserting that the nation poses no threat to US national security.
The visit comes as US-Cuba relations have deteriorated significantly, following a fuel blockade imposed by Washington in January. The communist regime is currently contending with rising unrest and a massive power failure to its national energy grid, driven by an oil and gas shortage crisis caused by US sanctions.
The talks between the delegations focused on security issues, economic stability, and intelligence cooperation.