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The Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) published an official statement this Thursday asserting that the discussions held with a delegation from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) led by its director, John Ratcliffe, "categorically demonstrated that Cuba does not pose a threat to the national security of the U.S., nor are there legitimate reasons to include it on the list of countries that supposedly sponsor terrorism."
According to the statement, it was the U.S. government itself that requested the meeting, and the so-called "Direction of the Revolution" approved the visit. The meeting took place between Ratcliffe's delegation and their counterparts from the Cuban Ministry of the Interior (MININT).
The regime reiterated in the text that the island "does not harbor, support, finance, or allow terrorist or extremist organizations," and added that "there are no foreign military or intelligence bases on its territory" and that Cuba "has never supported any hostile activity against the U.S. nor will it allow actions against another nation from its territory."
That statement contrasts with reports from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), which identify at least 12 Chinese intelligence facilities on Cuban territory, including sites in El Salao, Bejucal, Calabazar, and El Wajay, confirmed to be operational since at least 2019.
The arrival of the CIA flight in Havana was tracked via flight SAM554, a Boeing C-40B Clipper coming from Joint Base Andrews in Washington, which landed at José Martí International Airport around 13:00 UTC. The SAM prefix, standing for Special Air Mission, is reserved exclusively for high-level flights of the U.S. government.
Both parties also expressed "interest in developing bilateral cooperation between law enforcement and compliance agencies, aimed at ensuring the security of both nations, as well as regional and international security," according to the statement.
The central focus of the meeting was the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism, on which the Trump administration re-incorporated Cuba on January 20, 2025, just hours after beginning its second term, reversing a decision made by Biden.
The visit comes amidst a week of intense diplomatic activity. Last Tuesday, Trump wrote on Truth Social: “Cuba is asking for help, and we are going to talk!” On Wednesday, Miguel Díaz-Canel declared they are “always willing to engage in dialogue,” while Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla announced that Cuba is “willing to listen to the details” of the $100 million humanitarian aid proposal put forward by Washington, marking a significant shift from its stance on May 9, when it termed the proposal a “fable.”
Ratcliffe has a history of high-level diplomatic missions in the region. In January 2026, he traveled to Caracas to meet with Venezuelan officials following the capture of Nicolás Maduro, marking his visit to Havana as the second of its kind in less than four months.
The Trump administration has maintained a policy of maximum pressure on the Cuban regime. More than 240 sanctions have been imposed since January 2026, the interception of at least seven tankers, and at least 25 military surveillance flights near Cuban shores, in a context that the regime itself described as "complex" in its statement this Thursday.
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