CIA director meets Cuban offical in Havana

CIA Director John Ratcliffe met with Cuban officials, including Raul Castro’s grandson, during a high-level visit to the island, Cuban and US officials said.

Ratcliffe met with Raulito Rodriguez Castro, Ministry of Interior, Lazaro Alvarez Casas and the head of Cuban intelligence services on Thursday and discussed intelligence cooperation, economic stability and security issues. A CIA official confirmed the meetings to the AP.

Ratcliffe was there “to personally deliver President Donald Trump’s message that the United States is prepared to seriously engage on economic and security issues, but only if Cuba makes fundamental changes. According to official reports, the meeting served as a platform for Cuba to present evidence asserting that the nation poses no threat to US national security,’’ the CIA official said.