Cuba gives political prisoners ultimatum: deport or jail
Cuba, an ally, has been a target of the White House since the moment the Trump administration overthrew former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
WASHINGTON – A U.S. delegation led by Central Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe met with senior Cuban officials on May 14 to convey President Donald Trump’s message that the United States is prepared to take economic and security issues seriously, but only if Cuba undergoes fundamental changes, including a promise that it is no longer a safe haven for U.S. adversaries in the Western Hemisphere.
Mr. Ratcliffe’s visit was confirmed by two CIA officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the trip by name.
Ratcliffe’s meeting with Laurito Rodríguez Castro, Interior Minister Lázaro Álvarez Casas and Cuba’s intelligence chief came as Cuban humanitarian organizations posted videos of political prisoners being released amid pressure from the United States and high-stakes diplomatic negotiations.
The meeting comes amid rising tensions over the Trump administration’s blockade, which has depleted fuel and power generation capacity on the Caribbean island in recent months.
Since returning to the White House in January 2025, Trump has been ramping up pressure on the United States, a longtime adversary.
According to the Cuban government, Cuban representatives at the meeting emphasized that Havana does not pose a threat to U.S. national security.
“Both sides also emphasized their interest in developing bilateral cooperation between law enforcement agencies in the interest of the safety of both countries, as well as regional and international security,” the Cuban statement said.
The White House referred USA TODAY’s request for comment to the CIA.
A rare but unprecedented meeting of intelligence rivals
Brian Ratel, a former CIA Cuba analyst and national intelligence officer for Latin America, told USA TODAY that Ratcliffe’s meetings with Cuban officials are unusual but not unprecedented.
President Barack Obama’s CIA Director John Brennan visited the island and met with intelligence officials, but “nothing came of it,” Ratel said, citing Brennan’s memoir.
Ratcliffe’s talks could have a more positive outcome, Ratel said, given the tremendous pressure on Cuba and the U.S. usurpation of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
“Cuba doesn’t have many close allies anymore,” said Ratel, author of “Castro’s Secrets,” a book about Cuban intelligence, especially after Maduro was arrested in January and taken to the United States to stand trial.
But Ratel stressed that Ratcliffe’s talks with the Cubans may only be gradual. “There is so much history and burden between our two countries that goes back to the Bay of Pigs that anything that happens is just a small first step,” he said.
Deliver a personal message from President Trump
One CIA official told USA TODAY that Mr. Ratcliffe traveled to Havana and personally initiated substantive discussions about the important steps the Cuban regime must take to build a productive relationship with the United States and stabilize its crumbling economy.
The group discussed intelligence cooperation, economic stability and security issues, the official said.
Central to the United States’ concerns is that Cuba has in the past served as a platform for America’s adversaries to advance hostile plans in the Western Hemisphere. Ratcliffe said that’s no longer the case.
Another CIA official said it was highly unusual for a senior U.S. intelligence official to visit Cuba, but he did not know if it was the first time.
During the meeting, Ratcliffe emphasized that the United States is expanding real opportunities for cooperation with Cuba and stressed that President Trump must be taken seriously, as evidenced by recent U.S. actions in Venezuela.
A dire energy crisis – and an opportunity – for cuba
Officials from both countries acknowledged that they had been negotiating in recent months to break the political impasse. However, as the U.S. fuel blockade continued, negotiations appeared to be concluded.
On May 12, U.S. Army Secretary Pete Hegseth said in testimony before a Congressional committee that he considered Cuba a threat to national security.
The diplomatic talks come a day after the State Department submitted a written offer to provide $100 million in humanitarian aid to the Catholic Church and other aid groups.
Early on May 14, Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla said his country was considering the proposal and called for a reduction in tensions as Cuba grapples with an increasingly dire energy crisis caused by the fuel blockade.
On the eve of Ratcliffe’s meeting with his Cuban counterpart, widespread protests erupted in parts of Havana after more than 24 hours of rolling blackouts threatened to damage frozen food stocks and left many residents with little sleep, Reuters reported.
This story has been updated with new information.
Contributed by: Reuters
