CIA Chief Meets Cuban Officials in Havana Amid Deepening Energy Crisis
BBC Business reported Thursday that CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Havana for a rare face-to-face meeting with Cuban counterparts, as the Cuba energy crisis pushed the island’s infrastructure to a breaking point.
High-Level Talks Deliver Trump’s Message
Ratcliffe met officials at Cuba’s interior ministry, including Interior Minister Lázaro Álvarez Casas and the head of Cuban intelligence. Also present was Raúl Rodríguez Castro, grandson of former President Raúl Castro. A CIA official told CBS News the delegation traveled specifically to deliver a personal message from President Donald Trump. The topics covered included intelligence cooperation, economic stability, and regional security concerns. Cuba’s official statement said both sides expressed interest in building bilateral law enforcement cooperation.
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A $100 Million Aid Offer in Dispute
The talks followed a renewed US offer of $100 million in humanitarian assistance. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had claimed last week that Havana rejected a prior version of the offer, a charge Cuba denied. Washington made clear the aid must be channeled through the Catholic Church and independent organisations, deliberately bypassing the Cuban government. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez said Havana remained open to hearing the full details, but questioned whether the offer was cash or in-kind. He argued the faster solution would be for Washington to ease its blockade entirely.
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Background: How the Blockade Strangled Cuba’s Fuel Supply
Cuba historically relied on Venezuela and Mexico to supply crude to its refineries. Both countries sharply curtailed shipments after the Trump administration threatened tariffs on any nation sending fuel to the island. The resulting shortage has shuttered schools and government offices, left hospitals struggling to operate, and triggered street protests in Havana over prolonged blackouts. Cuba’s Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy confirmed this week that the island has completely exhausted its diesel and fuel oil reserves, with only limited gasoline stocks remaining.
Pressure Mounts on Multiple Fronts
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel pushed back against the aid framing, arguing the US should simply lift its blockade rather than offer conditional assistance. Adding further pressure, CBS News reported separately that US prosecutors are preparing potential indictments of former President Raúl Castro and his late brother Fidel over the 1996 shooting down of a humanitarian aircraft in international waters. Washington and Havana had acknowledged earlier this year that negotiations were underway, but the talks appeared to stall as fuel supplies dwindled.
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