Overview
- Ratcliffe led a U.S. delegation that met Cuba’s Interior Ministry in Havana on Thursday, in a visit Cuba said it approved at Washington’s request.
- A Cuban government communiqué said the meeting showed the island is not a U.S. security threat and argued there is no basis to keep it on the terrorism list.
- Cuba’s energy crunch has deepened with fuel shortages and rolling blackouts that have led to street protests, setting the immediate backdrop for the talks.
- Both sides, according to Cuba, expressed interest in closer work between law‑enforcement and security agencies to address national, regional, and international concerns.
- Public details from Washington were scarce, while reporters tracked a rare U.S. special‑mission jet, SAM554, flying from Andrews Air Force Base to Havana, and regional outlets reported a U.S. offer of $100 million in aid to be routed through the Catholic Church.