Cuba says CIA chief visited Havana as energy crisis worsens

CIA Director John Ratcliffe met with Cuban officials in Havana this week as the United States renewed an offer of $100 million in aid to ease a severe energy crisis, officials confirmed^[1][2].

The meeting, held at Cuba's interior ministry, occurred amid acute fuel shortages that have disrupted hospitals, schools, and government offices across the island^[1][2]. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel blamed the U.S. for the crisis, stating conditions would improve faster if Washington lifted its long-standing blockade instead of offering aid^[1][2].

Cuba has been largely cut off from oil supplies from Venezuela and Mexico after U.S. threats of tariffs on countries sending fuel to the Communist-run nation^[1][2]. In response, the U.S. State Department reiterated its offer of "generous assistance," valued at $100 million, but stipulated it must be distributed through the Catholic Church and independent humanitarian groups, bypassing the Cuban government^[2].

Cuban officials expressed openness to reviewing the details of the U.S. proposal^[1][2]. A government statement said both sides underscored an interest in developing bilateral law enforcement cooperation^[1][2]. The visit and renewed aid offer mark a diplomatic engagement as Cuba grapples with the compounding effects of the U.S. embargo and severed energy imports.