Merve Aydogan
23 May 2026•Update: 23 May 2026
CIA Director John Ratcliffe reportedly took an operative tied to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and the deaths of Cuban personnel in Venezuela to a unique meeting with Cuban officials in Havana last week, according to a report on Friday.
CBS News, citing multiple unnamed sources familiar with the matter, reported that Ratcliffe introduced the figure during talks with senior Cuban officials and identified him as one of the operatives involved in the January mission targeting Maduro.
Cuba, a close ally of Venezuela before Maduro's capture, has said 32 of its military and police personnel were killed during the operation.
The CBS reports said the move was viewed as a message to Havana amid growing tensions between the US and Cuba.
The CIA declined to comment, said CBS News.
Ratcliffe's visit came after months of increasing pressure by the Trump administration on Cuba, including threats of tariffs on countries exporting oil to the island nation, contributing to worsening fuel shortages.
A CIA official told CBS News that Ratcliffe conveyed that Washington was prepared to engage with Cuba on economic and security matters only if Havana implements major political and economic reforms.
The report also said Ratcliffe met Raul Rodriguez Castro, the grandson of former Cuban President Raul Castro, during the visit.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently accused Cuba of maintaining close intelligence ties with Venezuela, Russia and China, warning that Havana should no longer serve as a haven for US adversaries in the Western Hemisphere.
