A sitting CIA chief just landed in Havana. That has only happened one other time since Cuba's 1959 revolution.
And it is happening as Cubans live through blackouts that last up to 22 hours a day.
The trip is a signal. The U.S. is turning up the heat on the island.
Reuters says CIA chief John Ratcliffe gave Cuban lawmakers a clear note. Washington will "seriously engage" with Cuba. But only if the country makes "fundamental changes."
The CIA posted photos of Ratcliffe in Havana with no caption.
Cuba's side did confirm the meeting. It said both sides talked about working more closely on law enforcement.
The Trump team is putting real money behind the offer. The State Department said this week it would send $100 million in aid. The catch is that Cuba has to agree to what the U.S. calls "meaningful reforms."
That is a hard sell. The island has been a one-party state for 67 years. The U.S. is asking for big change in return for relief.
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Cuba had been leaning hard on oil from Venezuela to keep the lights on. Those imports stopped in early January.
That is when the U.S. ran a military op. The op removed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
The country is now running on empty. On Wednesday, Cuba's energy chief told state media that Cuba had run out of fuel oil and diesel. There are no reserves left.
That has caused blackouts of up to 22 hours a day. Most days, the power is off more than it is on. Protests have broken out in Havana.
The White House also added fresh sanctions on Cuban officials and groups in recent weeks. CNN said the U.S. has been flying dozens of spy missions near Cuba's biggest cities since February.
Cuba is about 100 miles from Florida. That is not far.
The hit on the island is real. With blackouts that long, most people get just two hours of power a day.
The protests in Havana show the strain. The Cuban government has not said yet if it will take the U.S. offer.
The U.S. is betting that the squeeze will push Cuba to the table. In time.
The Trump team has called Cuba's government "an unusual and extraordinary threat." Some officials have said Cuba could move up the list once the Iran war is over.
A CIA chief showing up in Havana is the soft form of moving the chess pieces forward.
It is a clear signal to the world: the U.S. is paying close attention to its closest one-party state.
The next move is up to Havana.
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