The Crab was present in the secret conversations with the U.S. in Havana, according to Axios

U.S. State Department officials met last Friday in Havana with representatives of the Cuban regime. The meeting, revealed this Friday by Axios, marks a significant diplomatic milestone given the current context: the Trump administration, with Marco Rubio as Secretary of State, is thought to be much less inclined to make concessions than the Obama administration.

A senior official from the State Department confirmed to Axios that multiple meetings were held in Havana, but only identified one Cuban participant: Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, known as "El Cangrejo," a lieutenant colonel of the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) and head of his grandfather's personal security.

Raúl Castro, who, despite not holding a formal position, continues to wield real power in Cuba, and apparently Washington sees El Cangrejo as the de facto spokesperson for the historic leader.

During the meetings, U.S. officials warned the regime that "the Cuban economy is in free fall" and that the ruling elites have "a small window to implement key reforms backed by the U.S. before circumstances worsen irreversibly."

Among the specific proposals, the U.S. offered to help restore internet access through the installation of Starlink services. Officials also reiterated the long-standing conditions for lifting the embargo: compensation to U.S. citizens and corporations whose properties were confiscated after the 1959 Revolution, the release of political prisoners, and guarantees of political freedoms that would eventually include free and fair elections.

They also expressed "concerns about foreign intelligence, military, and terrorist groups operating with the permission of the Cuban government less than 100 miles from U.S. territory."

"President Trump is committed to seeking a diplomatic solution, if possible, but he will not allow the island to collapse into a greater national security threat if the leaders of Cuba cannot or will not take action," said the senior State Department official to that outlet.

Conversations are taking place amid the most severe crisis Cuba has faced since the Special Period. The economy has seen a contraction of 23% since 2019, with a projected GDP decline of 7.2% for this year, worsened by the cut in Venezuelan oil supply following the capture of Nicolás Maduro in January.