CIA Director Meets Cuban Officials As Blackout Protests Erupt In Havana

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

HAVANA (Worthy News) – CIA Director John Ratcliffe held rare high-level talks with Cuban officials Thursday as protests erupted across Havana over the island’s worst rolling blackouts in decades, intensifying pressure on Cuba’s communist government amid President Donald Trump’s hard-line energy blockade.

Cuba’s government said Ratcliffe met with counterparts from the Ministry of the Interior on May 14 “against a backdrop of complex bilateral relations.” Havana said the meeting was used to present evidence it claims proves Cuba poses no threat to U.S. national security and should be removed from Washington’s list of state sponsors of terrorism.

But the diplomatic outreach came as Cuba’s domestic crisis deepened. Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy admitted on state-run television that the island had run out of diesel and fuel oil, saying, “We have absolutely no fuel” and “no reserves,” as parts of Havana endured power outages lasting 20 to 22 hours a day.

Overnight, hundreds of Cubans took to the streets of the capital, blocking roads with burning piles of rubbish, banging pots, and shouting, “turn on the lights.” Reuters reported that several peaceful protest groups appeared across Havana, marking the largest single night of demonstrations since the energy crisis began. Security forces maintained a heavy presence, but largely stood by and observed.

The crisis follows Trump’s January executive action threatening tariffs on countries that sell or supply oil to Cuba. The White House said the Cuban regime aligns with hostile foreign powers and provides support or safe haven to malign actors, including terrorist groups, while Rubio has argued there is “zero doubt” Cuba belongs on the terror list.

Havana denies the accusations and insists the terror designation is politically motivated. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has warned that his country is prepared to fight if the United States intervenes.

For the Trump administration, the pressure campaign is aimed at isolating a hostile communist regime in the Western Hemisphere. For Cuba’s rulers, the immediate danger is no longer merely diplomatic — it is a collapsing energy system, growing street anger, and a population increasingly willing to protest in the dark.

Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.