CIA Chief Ratcliffe Visits Cuba Amid US Frustration Over Stalled Talks

Central Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe visited Cuba for high-level talks with top leaders, signaling growing US frustration over the lack of progress in opening the island's economy and political system. Leading a US delegation, Ratcliffe conveyed the Trump administration's willingness to negotiate only if fundamental changes are made, citing the recent capture of Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro as a warning. The discussions covered economic, security, and intelligence cooperation issues. Despite multiple recent negotiating sessions, a diplomatic breakthrough remains elusive as the US imposes drastic energy constraints and escalates sanctions against Cuban military elites, specifically targeting the Gaesa conglomerate. The Trump administration aims to remove President Miguel Díaz-Canel and the Castro family from power, viewing Cuba as a failed nation. Meanwhile, Cuba faces a severe fuel crisis, having run out of diesel for its power plants. The US has also signaled that international companies, such as Spanish hotel operators, must wind down operations with the military conglomerate within a month, mirroring strategies previously used in Venezuela.