Havana (TDI): CIA Director John Ratcliffe has made a rare visit to Cuba, marking an unusual moment of engagement between Washington and Havana at a time of sharply strained relations and deepening crisis on the communist-run island.
The CIA confirmed the visit after Cuban authorities announced it, with the agency posting photos on X showing Ratcliffe meeting Cuban intelligence officials, including Ramon Romero Curbelo, head of Cuba’s Interior Ministry intelligence service. Faces of several participants were blurred in the released images.
The visit comes as Cuba faces a worsening energy emergency, with officials declaring that the country has effectively run out of oil. Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy said on state television that fuel shortages have severely disrupted daily life and contributed to widespread electricity blackouts across the island, according to AFP.
Cuba has struggled to secure steady fuel supplies, with limited deliveries reportedly coming from Russia. Relations between the United States and Cuba remain tense, with the Trump administration maintaining strong pressure on Havana. Reports in US media suggest Washington is also considering legal action against senior Cuban figures, including members of the Castro family, though this has not been officially confirmed.
Despite the pressure, Cuban officials framed the CIA director’s visit as an opportunity for dialogue. A government statement said the meeting took place in the context of “complex bilateral relations” and aimed at encouraging political communication between the two countries. Cuba also reiterated its position that it does not pose a threat to US national security and rejected accusations of involvement in activities against the United States or other nations.
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has linked Cuba’s crisis to its internal governance, arguing that humanitarian assistance is available but conditioned on alternative distribution channels. He said Washington wants a stable and prosperous Cuba, while maintaining that current policies are contributing to the island’s decline.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, however, has blamed US sanctions and the long-standing economic blockade for the worsening humanitarian situation, urging Washington to lift restrictions rather than tighten pressure.
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The country has been hit by repeated and widespread power outages, with some regions experiencing blackouts affecting a large portion of the population. The latest outage in eastern Cuba led to partial restoration of electricity later in the day, but frustration has continued to grow among residents.
