CIA Director John Ratcliffe made an unannounced visit to the Cuban capital Havana, during which he met with senior officials, including Raul Castro's grandson and Interior Minister Lázaro Álvarez, diplomatic sources have revealed.
The sources said that the visit took place on Thursday, May 14, 2026, and carried a direct message from the Trump administration with the main title "Radical changes in exchange for the easing of the economic embargo."
During the talks, Ratcliffe put forward tough U.S. conditions, including the immediate release of political detainees, a timetable for free elections under international supervision, the dismantling of security alliances with Russia, China and Venezuela, and the closure of any "espionage" facilities belonging to these countries on the island, the diplomatic sources said.
The CIA director confirmed that the US reward is to lift the energy embargo imposed for 2026 and allow the flow of oil and humanitarian aid worth $100 million, if Havana complies with US conditions, according to the sources.
Cuba comments on the visit
The Cuban government said that the visit of the director of the US official came in a "context characterized by the complexity of bilateral relations", noting that the purpose of the meeting is to contribute to strengthening the political dialogue between Washington and Havana, as part of attempts to address the outstanding files between the two sides.
According to a statement by the Cuban government, the talks between the two parties allowed to show that Cuba does not pose any threat to U.S. national security, and there are no legal or objective reasons for its inclusion on the list of countries the United States accuses of sponsoring terrorism.
The statement added that during the meeting, the Cuban side presented data confirming, according to its account, the country's commitment to its firm position rejecting terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, stressing that Cuba has not supported any hostile activities against the United States and will not allow its territory to be used to carry out operations targeting any other country.
Washington offers $100 million in aid to Cuba
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has offered $100 million in humanitarian aid, provided that the Catholic Church distributes it inside Cuba rather than the government, reflecting the continued divergence in the two sides' approaches to the humanitarian crisis in the country.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel called on Washington to lift the economic blockade imposed on his country, saying it was the quickest solution to address the crisis, and accused the United States of deepening the deteriorating humanitarian situation on the island, while stressing his country's readiness to cooperate if Washington showed a "genuine will" to help.
Cuba Announces Running Out of Crude Oil and Fuel Due to U.S. Restrictions
Cuban Minister of Energy and Mines Vicente de la Levy said that his country no longer has any stockpiles of crude oil or fuel, as a result of the oil embargo imposed by the United States.
In a statement to Cuban media, on Wednesday evening, May 13, O. Levy explained that his country's energy system is facing a "critical" situation due to the US restrictions imposed on the flow of supplies since the decision issued by President Donald Trump on January 30.
The Cuban minister added that stockpiles of crude oil, gasoline and diesel have been completely depleted, noting that the country currently relies only on locally produced natural gas and that the energy crisis has led to power outages in some areas of the capital, Havana, up to 22 hours a day.