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U.S. officials close to Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a discreet meeting on Wednesday with Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, grandson of Raúl Castro and an influential figure within the Cuban power structure, on the sidelines of the CARICOM leaders summit in the Caribbean.
According to multiple sources familiar with the discussions cited by the Miami Herald, the meeting took place in a hotel near the venue of the 50th Ordinary Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
Rodríguez Castro, known in Cuba as "El Cangrejo", reportedly traveled to Saint Kitts accompanied by a protocol official and left the island on the same day.
It is unclear whether Rubio himself participated in the exchange, although his presence at the summit and his team's contact with Castro's grandson reinforce the perception that the Trump administration views him as a key interlocutor in the current dialogue process with Havana.
Although Rodríguez Castro does not hold a formal position in the government or the Communist Party, he is regarded as the adviser and most trusted man close to Raúl Castro. He is also associated with overseeing the military conglomerate GAESA, which controls large sectors of the Cuban economy.
Sources indicated to the Herald that the focus of the conversations revolved around a possible gradual easing of U.S. sanctions in exchange for economic changes "month by month" from the Cuban leadership.
However, other sources emphasized that there is still no finalized agreement.
According to the report, a Caribbean diplomat stated that in private talks with regional leaders, Rubio indicated that negotiations with the Cuban government are "very advanced," although he made it clear that Washington does not wish to prolong the regime's existence.
During the summit, the president of Guyana, Irfaan Ali, confirmed that the possibility of CARICOM being part of a regional framework to support a potential transition in Cuba was discussed.
For his part, the Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness, advocated for constructive dialogue between Washington and Havana to promote stability and reforms.
Rubio avoided directly confirming the contacts with Rodríguez Castro when questioned by the press. “I will not comment on any conversation we may have had,” he replied, although he noted that the United States is willing to listen to proposals for change from any Cuban official.
The Secretary of State stated that Cuba is facing a “serious and catastrophic” economic crisis and reiterated that Washington would support “dramatic reforms” that would create space for economic freedom and eventually political freedom. He also emphasized the potential role of the Cuban private sector in that process.
The meeting took place in an especially delicate context, following reports this Wednesday of a shooting between a Florida vessel and a Cuban coast guard ship that resulted in four deaths.
Rubio described the incident as "unusual" and announced that the United States will conduct its own investigation.
The event also coincided with the 30th anniversary of the downing of the Brothers to the Rescue planes in 1996, an episode that at the time halted bilateral conversations and led to a tightening of the embargo.
Analysts warn that the new incident could be used both in Havana and Miami to try to derail the ongoing dialogue. Meanwhile, the meeting in Saint Kitts confirms that, despite the public tension, communication channels between Washington and the closest circles of Cuban power remain open.
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