A CIA director met Cuban officials in Havana, including Ramon Romero Curbelo, Lazaro Casas, and Raul Rodriguez Castro, during popular protests and sweeping blackouts. Cuba’s regime issued an SOS after the island’s last remaining fuel reserves ran dry. The U.S. representative delivered a blunt message offering help to address the deepening crisis, while noting that humanitarian aid had been reiterated as $100 million. The assistance was presented as conditional on fundamental changes to address economic and security issues. The meeting followed a similar encounter in Caracas with Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez. The U.S. stance reflected growing impatience, tougher sanctions, and an energy blockade imposed since January, with the possibility of an agreement to avert chaos.
"Ratcliffe arrived bearing a blunt message a diplomatic version of nice country you have here, shame if something happened to it along with a host of implied warnings. He told Cuban leaders that the United States was prepared to lend a hand in addressing the island's deepening crisis; in fact, only hours earlier, the State Department had officially reiterated its offer of $100 million (86 million) in humanitarian aid. But that assistance is not unconditional: Donald Trump's administration is demanding fundamental changes to seriously address economic and security issues."
"Conversing cordially on the very same day that, amid popular protests and sweeping blackouts, the regime issued an SOS: the island's last remaining fuel reserves had run dry. For the head of U.S. intelligence, it was not his first diplomatic mission. He had already met in Caracas in January with Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez for a similar encounter. Ratcliffe arrived bearing a blunt message along with implied warnings."
"Indirectly, Ratcliffe's very presence as a senior official within Trump's inner circle underscored the seriousness with which the Republican administration is handling these contacts; the urgency of a situation worsened by tougher sanctions and the energy blockade the United States has imposed since January; and perhaps the possibility of reaching an agreement with representatives of the Castro regime that could avert chaos on the island. The CIA has provided no details about the specific measures Havana must take."
Read at english.elpais.com
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