CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Cuba to meet with intelligence officials and Raul Rodriguez Castro, grandson of former leader Raul Castro, who has had previous meetings with U.S. officials as the island teeters on the brink of collapse.
A CIA official told NBC News that Ratcliffe went there to "personally deliver President Trump's message that the United States is prepared to seriously engage on economic and security issues, but only if Cuba makes fundamental changes."
The official went on to say that discussions revolved around "intelligence cooperation, economic stability and security issues, all against the backdrop that Cuba can no longer be a safe haven for adversaries in the Western Hemisphere."
Also citing a CIA official, Axios added in a report of its own that Ratcliffe urged officials to draw lessons from the operation where Venezuela's authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro was captured in January.
Cuban officials, on their end, revealed the meeting and said it was "part of the efforts to address the current scenario" of economic and social crisis. Havana added that it provided information "to categorically demonstrate that Cuba does not constitute a threat to U.S. national security."
The wording seems to be a direct reference to a recent remark from an official who recently told Axios that the Trump administration will not allow the country to "deteriorate into an even more severe security threat to the national security of the United States."
The official went on to say that the "Cuban regime continues to demonstrate its indifference to the people's suffering and refuses to reform or prevent the delivery of vital humanitarian assistance."
The official was making reference to Havana's rejection of U.S. assistance in exchange for reforms. The Trump administration offered tens of millions in aid, free Starlink access for all Cubans for two years, as well as agricultural and infrastructure support, in exchange for the changes.
"As the President stated, Cuba is a failing country. Within a short period of time they will fall, and we will be there to help them out," the official added.
In the meantime, Cuban Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy said the country has run out of oil and diesel and only has gas left.
"The sum of the different types of fuel: crude oil, fuel oil, of which we have absolutely none; diesel, of which we have absolutely none ... the only thing we have is gas from our wells, where production has grown," he said on state media.
The official went on to say that the country's situation is "extremely tense." It comes as the U.S. continues to mostly prevent the island from getting fuel as part of its strategy to pressure the Havana regime.
The Trump administration did allow a shipment from Russian oil to dock in the island in March, alleviating some of its needs. However, Havana officials say, no more fuel has been allowed to enter.
Cubans have been taking to the streets to protest the lack of energy, with blackouts lasting most of the day.
