Details of conversations between Cuba and the U.S. in Havana were revealed, with Raúl Castro's grandson as the intermediary

U.S. State Department officials met last Friday in Havana with representatives of the Cuban regime, including the grandson of Raúl Castro, in what marks the first landing of a U.S. government plane on the island since President Barack Obama's visit a decade ago.

The meeting was revealed this Friday by the American outlet Axios, which identified the only officially named Cuban participant as Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, known as "El Cangrejo", chief of personal security for his grandfather and a figure who has gained prominence in contacts with Washington.

According to the published information, the negotiations are part of a series of high-level talks between both governments, amidst a backdrop of increasing diplomatic tension and American pressure on Havana.

The meeting takes place days after President Donald Trump described Cuba as a highly oppressive regime, which created uncertainty regarding the true extent of any potential rapprochement between the two nations.

Media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal had previously reported information about the rise of El Cangrejo as a key interlocutor of the regime in Washington, consolidating his role within the Castro clan in negotiations with the United States.

Sources consulted had also reported a failed attempt to contact Trump directly by Raúl Castro, which demonstrates the regime's interest in establishing a direct channel with the White House.

For his part, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has in Cuba, making it clear that Washington will not normalize relations without significant changes in the political system of the island.

Meanwhile, the leader Miguel Díaz-Canel responded with a statement in which he asserted that Cuba will never be a trophy or a star, in a message aimed at projecting strength to his internal base amidst the negotiations.