CIA Director Ratcliffe Holds Talks With Cuban Intelligence Officials in Havana

CIA Director John Ratcliffe met his Cuban counterpart at the interior ministry in Havana after the United States renewed an offer of $100m (£74m) of aid. A Cuban statement said the meeting was an attempt to improve dialogue.

U.S. National security. The delegation met to personally deliver President Trump's message, a CIA official told CBS News. Attending alongside Ratcliffe were Raúl Rodríguez Castro, grandson of former President Raúl Castro, Interior Minister Lázaro Álvarez Casas and the head of Cuba's intelligence services.

During the meeting, Director Ratcliffe and Cuban officials discussed intelligence cooperation, economic stability, and security issues, all against the backdrop that Cuba can no longer be a safe haven for adversaries in the Western Hemisphere. Both sides underscored their interest in developing bilateral cooperation between law enforcement agencies in the interest of the security of both countries, as well as regional and international security, the Cuban statement said.

U.S. Acknowledged earlier this year they were in talks, but negotiations appeared to stall as the oil blockade wore on. U.S. is prepared to seriously engage on economic and security issues, but only if Cuba makes fundamental changes.

U.S. lifted its blockade.

U.S. Aid proposal and how it would be implemented. U.S. State Department said it was renewing an offer to provide generous assistance to the Cuban people. U.S. State Department said the aid would have to be distributed in coordination with the Catholic Church and other reliable independent humanitarian organisations.

U.S. offer of humanitarian aid worth $100m (£74m). Fuel shortages have left hospitals unable to function normally and forced schools and government offices to close.

Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy said Cuba had completely run out of diesel and fuel oil. Vicente de la O Levy said there were limited amounts of gas available but that Cuba's energy system was in a critical state. Hundreds took to the streets in Havana on Wednesday, blocking roads with burning rubbish and shouting anti-government slogans.

It marked the biggest single night of demonstrations in the city since Cuba's energy crisis began in January. ". President Miguel Diaz-Canel acknowledged the particularly tense situation across the island.

U.S. genocidal energy blockade. The Trump administration has shut down all deliveries of crude oil to Cuba. Cuba has relied on Venezuela and Mexico to supply oil to its refinery system.

Venezuela and Mexico have largely cut off supplies since President Donald Trump threatened tariffs on countries that send fuel to Cuba. U.S. imposed fresh sanctions on senior Cuban officials it accused of committing human rights abuses.

Bruno Rodríguez called the sanctions illegal and abusive. The United States government is preparing to bring charges against Raúl Castro for the downing of two small planes 30 years ago.

U.S. Officials familiar with the matter told CBS that an indictment against the 94-year-old former Cuban president Raúl Castro is pending approval by a grand jury. An unnamed Justice Department source told Reuters that the decision could be imminent. The charge is related to an incident in February 1996 when a Cuban MiG-29 jet shot down two small aircraft belonging to Brothers to the Rescue.

Four people died in the February 1996 incident. BBC News reported these developments.