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U.S. State Department officials warned in meetings held on April 11 in Havana that the Cuban economy is “in free fall” and urged the regime to implement reforms before the crisis becomes irreversible.
The warning was conveyed during several meetings held in the Cuban capital between representatives of the U.S. government and members of the regime's power structure, revealed this Friday by the U.S. media outlet Axios.
One of the participants identified by the American side was Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, the grandson of Raúl Castro and known as "Raulito" or "El Cangrejo".
The 41-year-old lieutenant colonel of the Ministry of the Interior has been leading the General Directorate of Personal Security since 2016, which is responsible for the protection of the ruling elite.
According to a senior official from the State Department cited by Axios, Washington conveyed to Cuban interlocutors that the political elites in the country face a limited opportunity to act before the economic decline reaches an irreversible point.
The meeting also carried significant diplomatic symbolism. According to the same report, it was the first time since the visit a decade ago by then-President Barack Obama (2009-2017) that a U.S. government plane landed in Cuba to hold direct discussions with regime officials.
In the meetings, multiple exchanges took place, although the State Department only publicly confirmed the presence of Rodríguez Castro among the Cuban participants.
According to Washington's assessment, this official is regarded as a key interlocutor within the power circle surrounding Raúl Castro, who at 94 years old is still seen as a central figure in the country's command structure.
The absence of Miguel Díaz-Canel in the discussions was interpreted by sources cited in the report as a reflection of the perception within the U.S. administration that real power in Cuba does not rest with the appointed president, but rather with the immediate circle of the former leader.
During the discussions, the U.S. delegation put forward several specific demands. These include compensation for American citizens and companies whose property was confiscated following the 1959 Revolution, the release of political prisoners, and the expansion of political freedoms for the population.
Washington also mentioned the need to advance towards the holding of free and fair elections as part of any political change process on the island.
In addition to political demands, U.S. officials raised the possibility of supporting the restoration of internet access in Cuba through the installation of satellite services like Starlink, a proposal that has been mentioned in the past amid the connectivity restrictions the country faces.
The delegation also expressed concerns about the presence on the island of foreign intelligence groups, military structures, and organizations deemed hostile that would operate with the permission of the Cuban government, less than 100 miles (160 kilometers) from U.S. territory.
The conversations took place against a backdrop of deep economic crisis in Cuba, characterized by inflation, food shortages, deterioration of basic services, and growing social discontent—factors that have intensified international pressure on the regime.
The Secretary of Energy, Chris Wright, strengthened the message from Washington this Friday. "We do not want a humanitarian crisis. We want to force change and allow the Cuban people to be free."
Wright added that the United States is willing to sell oil and gas to the Cuban private sector immediately, although current legislation expressly excludes the government and entities such as the military conglomerate GAESA.
The economic context supports the urgency of the American message. According to projections from the Economist Intelligence Unit, the Cuban economy is expected to contract by 7.2% in 2026, totaling a decline of nearly 23% since 2019. The island is also suffering from blackouts that exceed 20 hours a day in several areas.
The regime responded with an official statement from Díaz-Canel, issued that same Friday and coinciding with the 65th anniversary of the Playa Girón: "Cuba will never be a trophy, nor a star" of the American constellation.
The Cuban government also approved today a decree-law that creates a special immigration category for Cubans abroad who wish to invest in the island, a measure that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has already deemed insufficient, stating that "their system of government has to change".
"President Trump is committed to seeking a diplomatic solution, if possible, but he will not allow the island to collapse into a greater threat to national security if the leaders of Cuba are unwilling or unable to act," the State Department official warned.
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