CIA Chief Ratcliffe Visits Havana as US Renews $100 Million Cuba Aid Offer
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 15
CIA Chief Ratcliffe Visits Havana as US Renews $100 Million Cuba Aid Offer
20 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 15
John Ratcliffe met Cuban intelligence and interior officials in Havana, with both sides saying they discussed intelligence cooperation, economic stability and security as Washington pressed for "fundamental changes."
$100 million in renewed US aid was offered to ease Cuba's deepening energy crisis, but Washington said distribution must bypass the government through the Catholic Church and other independent groups.
Cuban officials said hospitals, schools and government offices have been disrupted by fuel shortages, while Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy said the island had run out of diesel and fuel oil.
Hundreds protested in Havana after another major blackout, the biggest single night of demonstrations in the capital since the crisis began in January.
Miguel Díaz-Canel and Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez said the fastest relief would come from lifting the US oil blockade, which tightened after Trump threatened tariffs on countries supplying fuel to Cuba.
As U.S. pressure intensifies, will Cuba's surprising economic reforms be enough to prevent the regime's collapse?
With U.S. spy planes overhead, is this pressure campaign pushing Cuba towards war or surrender?
CIA Director’s 2026 Cuba Visit and the U.S. Strategy: From Venezuela Intervention to Economic Reform Pressure
Overview
In May 2026, CIA Director John Ratcliffe made a landmark visit to Havana, marking the highest-level U.S. official engagement with Cuba since the Trump administration ramped up its pressure campaign. Ratcliffe’s talks with Cuban officials highlighted ongoing U.S. efforts to dismantle the Communist Party’s control, reflecting a strong commitment to this policy goal. Meanwhile, Cuba continued to reject its classification as a state sponsor of terrorism and pushed for removal from such lists. This high-level meeting underscored persistent tensions but also signaled the possibility of further dialogue between the two countries.