Overview
- Ratcliffe, who met Thursday with Interior Minister Lázaro Álvarez Casas, Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro and Cuba’s intelligence chief, delivered President Trump’s message offering economic and security engagement if Havana makes fundamental changes.
- U.S. officials said the talks covered intelligence cooperation and economic stability, stressing that Cuba can no longer serve as a safe haven for American adversaries in the Western Hemisphere.
- Cuba told the delegation it poses no threat to U.S. national security and argued there are no valid reasons for its inclusion on the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism.
- Cuba’s energy minister said the country has no fuel oil or diesel, and blackouts now last up to 20–22 hours, with a national grid failure Thursday cutting power to the eastern provinces.
- The State Department reiterated a $100 million humanitarian offer and support for satellite internet to be delivered by independent groups, which U.S. officials say can proceed if the Cuban government permits it.