Rare Meeting Between CIA Chief and Cuban Officials Amid Trump and Xi Jinping Talks

John Ratcliffe, director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), has visited Havana, the capital of Cuba, where he held rare discussions with senior Cuban officials. The Cuban government clarified that the meeting conveyed Cuba is “not a threat to American national security.” This encounter took place during talks between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

According to a statement released by Cuban authorities, the meeting was jointly organized to advance political dialogue amid complexities in bilateral relations. President Trump had previously labeled Cuba as a ‘failed state’ and issued warnings about potential US interference in its governance.

Just days earlier, Trump claimed that the US could impose ‘immediate control’ over Cuba. Since January, Washington has been implementing new sanctions against Cuba, effectively restricting oil imports to the island. China has strongly criticized these US sanctions on Cuba, describing them as ‘illegal.’