CIA chief John Ratcliffe makes rare visit to Cuba as island runs out of oil

CIA chief John Ratcliffe met Cuban officials in Havana on Thursday in a bid to improve dialogue between Washington and the communist-run island, the Cuban government said. The meeting took place “in a context marked by the complexity of bilateral relations", Havana said.

Issued on: 14/05/2026 - 23:52

Modified: 15/05/2026 - 11:33

The head of the CIA visited Cuba on Thursday, an extraordinary step-up in contact between Washington and Havana as the communist-run island reels from US pressure, declaring that it is out of oil.

The Central Intelligence Agency, at the heart of the decades-long struggle between the United States and Cuba, confirmed a Cuban government statement about Director John Ratcliffe's visit.