Related videos:
Vic Mellor, businessman, veteran of the Marine Corps, and Republican congressional candidate from Rhode Island, revealed in an exclusive interview with Telemundo 51 that he held two dinners in Havana with Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, the grandson of Raúl Castro known as "El Cangrejo", a key interlocutor of the regime with Washington.
The media obtained images of the meeting showing Mellor sitting at the table with Rodríguez Castro in what appears to be a hotel room in the Cuban capital.
"It wasn't formal; there were two dinners. In total, they lasted perhaps four hours, four and a half hours," Mellor stated to journalist Alejandra Molina.
The candidate stated that he was invited by "entrepreneurs from the Island" and that the discussions focused on business, the future of Cuba, and potential changes on the island.
"He absolutely wants to update and bring Cuba into the 21st century in business and politics," said Mellor about Raúl Castro's grandson.
One of the most striking moments of the interview was when Mellor stated that Rodríguez Castro "is completely open" to conversations with President Trump and to "letting Trump lead the way."
Mellor clarified that he traveled to Cuba as a private citizen and a Congressional candidate, not as a representative of the United States government, and that the White House has not contacted him regarding the meeting.
The trip had been announced on May 27 through an official statement from his campaign, in which Mellor argued that he wanted to position Rhode Island ahead of a possible opening of the Cuban market, which he estimated to be worth over 100 billion dollars.
After his visit, Mellor stated to AFP that "Cuba is on the brink of a new revolution" and that "Raúl's vision for the future is very promising," highlighting the Island's potential in tourism, mining, and human resources.
The meeting comes at a time of intense diplomatic activity between Washington and Havana, where "El Cangrejo" has emerged as the main informal interlocutor of the regime, circumventing the formal channels of the Communist Party and the ruling Miguel Díaz-Canel.
On May 15, the CIA Director, John Ratcliffe, traveled to Havana and met with Rodríguez Castro along with the Minister of the Interior and the Cuban intelligence chief, conveying the message that the United States would only engage in dialogue if Cuba made "fundamental changes."
At the same time, the Trump administration is imposing sanctions against GAESA, Díaz-Canel and his family members, as well as against a son and a grandson of Raúl Castro.
This Friday, the United States also sanctioned "El Cangrejo", which adds a layer of complexity to the context in which Mellor’s revelations are taking place.
The academic Sebastián Arcos from the Cuban Research Institute at Florida International University reacted skeptically to the visit: "It's simply that, just another visit. It's not the first time that American politicians or businesspeople have tried to convince the Castro regime to undertake an economic opening."
Arcos warned that "everyone has failed for the same reason: the regime only accepts absolute control over absolutely everything, both politics and the economy."
Mellor revealed that he was invited to return to Cuba for new discussions, possibly this very weekend, as expectations rise regarding a potential political change on the Island, which is experiencing its worst economic crisis in decades.
Filed under: