Cuba confirms CIA Director John Ratcliffe has met with officials in Havana

Cuba confirmed Thursday that CIA Director John Ratcliffe has met with Cuban officials in Havana this week as the island nation grapples with a collapse of its energy sector.

Cuba said the meeting was held at the request of the United States government and that officials emphasized in the meeting that Cuba does not pose a "threat to the national security of the U.S."

“Following the request submitted by the US government that a delegation presided over by CIA Director John Ratcliffe be received in Havana, the Revolutionary Directorate approved the realization of this visit and the meeting with its counterpart from the Ministry of the Interior,” Cuba said in a statement.

The island nation also said its officials emphasized that there are no “legitimate reasons” to include Cuba on the U.S.’s list of State Sponsors of Terrorism because it does not harbor, support or fund terrorists, according to CNN.

The meeting comes a day after Cuban Minister of Energy and Mines Vicente de la O Levy said Cuba has run out of oil for its power plants and supplies have been exhausted.

“We have absolutely no fuel oil, absolutely no diesel,” de la O Levy said Wednesday. “In Havana, the blackouts today exceed 20 or 22 hours.”

Cuba used to receive its oil from Venezuela virtually for free prior to the U.S. removing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Since January, the U.S. has blocked shipments of oil, which has resulted in blackouts lasting 22 hours per day in some parts of Havana. 

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.