Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Ratcliffe reaffirmed the U.S.’s stance to “seriously engage” in assisting Cuba, “only if fundamental changes” are made, during a meeting with Cuban officials on the island nation.
During a high-level visit to the Caribbean island, Ratcliffe met with Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, a Cuban Colonel and grandson of former Cuban leader Raúl Castro; Interior Minister Lázaro Álvarez Casas; and the head of Cuban intelligence services.
According to a CIA official who spoke with The Associated Press (AP), the group discussed intelligence cooperation, economic stability, and security concerns.
The CIA official affirmed that Ratcliffe was there "to personally deliver President Donald Trump's message that the United States is prepared to seriously engage on economic and security issues, but only if Cuba makes fundamental changes.”
Ratcliffe’s visit comes after the U.S. State Department issued a statement offering $100 million in aid to the Communist country. The statement added that the U.S. “continues to seek meaningful reforms to Cuba’s communist system.”
“The decision rests with the Cuban regime to accept our offer of assistance or deny critical life-saving aid and ultimately be accountable to the Cuban people for standing in the way of critical assistance,” the statement reads.
Following the meeting, the Cuban government stated that “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 Trump administration has deemed Cuba’s government “an unusual and extraordinary threat,” with President Donald Trump occasionally alluding to a “friendly takeover” of the country.
Cuban officials, on the other hand, have argued that the communist-led island is not a "safe haven for adversaries in the Western Hemisphere" as the U.S. has claimed, assuring that it presents no threat to U.S. security.
The Cuban delegation also emphasized its quarrels with the U.S.’s state sponsor of terrorism designation placed on Havana.
