CIA Director John Ratcliffe visits Cuba for talks amid strained ties

A US delegation led by CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Havana for talks with Cuban officials amid strained bilateral ties. Cuba argued it is not a threat and should be removed from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism.

Amid strained bilateral ties between Cuba and the United States due to Washington's repeated caveats towards the communist government in the Caribbean country, a US delegation led by the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, John Ratcliffe, visited Havana for talks with Cuban officials.

In an official statement issued by the Cuban government on Thursday (local time), the Cuban government said the visit took place following a request submitted by the US government and was approved by the "Directorate of the Revolution." The meeting was held on May 14 between the US delegation and Cuban counterparts from the Ministry of the Interior, with Havana describing the talks as part of efforts to maintain political dialogue despite the "complexity of bilateral relations."

Cuba Argues Against Terrorism Designation

According to the statement, Cuban authorities presented evidence and held exchanges with the US delegation to demonstrate that Cuba "does not constitute a threat to US national security" and that there are "no legitimate reasons" for its inclusion on the US list of state sponsors of terrorism.

"The evidence provided by the Cuban side and the exchanges held with the US delegation categorically demonstrated that Cuba does not constitute a threat to US national security, nor are there legitimate reasons to include it on the list of countries that supposedly sponsor terrorism," the statement read.

The Cuban government further reiterated its longstanding opposition to terrorism, stating that the country "does not harbour, support, finance or permit terrorist or extremist organisations." It also asserted that there are no foreign military or intelligence bases operating on Cuban territory and that Havana has never supported hostile activity against the United States.

"During the meeting, it was possible to verify the consistency and congruence in the historical position of our country with the actions of the Cuban government and its competent authorities in confronting and unequivocally condemning terrorism in all its forms and manifestations," the statement added.

The statement also noted that both sides expressed interest in enhancing bilateral cooperation between law enforcement and security agencies in matters concerning regional and international security.

Context of Tense Relations and Trump's Remarks

The meeting comes at a time when relations between Washington and Havana remain tense over sanctions, migration issues and Cuba's designation on the US terrorism list. The CIA later shared images on X showing Ratcliffe meeting Cuban officials during the visit.

The development comes just days after US President Donald Trump indicated that his administration was preparing for talks with Cuba, describing the island nation as a "failed country" seeking assistance amid its worsening economic situation.

"No Republican has ever spoken to me about Cuba, which is a failed country and only heading in one direction - down! Cuba is asking for help, and we are going to talk!!! In the meantime, I'm off to China!" Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.

Trump's remarks follow recent moves by his administration to tighten sanctions on Cuba, months after effectively enforcing an oil blockade against the country. The comments also come amid increased intelligence-gathering missions by the US military near Cuba's coastline.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)