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CIA Director Ratcliffe Holds Talks With Cuban Intelligence Officials in Havana
CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Havana to deliver a message from President Trump as Cuba faces severe fuel shortages and street protests. The meeting followed a renewed U.S. offer of $100m in aid but came as Washington prepares charges against 94-year-old Raúl Castro over a 1996 incident. Cuban leaders called for an end to the U.S.
May 15, 1:47 PM·2m read1 source
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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.
