CIA Director John Ratcliffe met Cuban officials in Havana on Thursday (April 3) to promote dialogue between Washington and the communist island, Cuba's government said.
The meeting took place "in a context of complex bilateral relations, with the goal of contributing to political dialogue between the two countries," according to a statement.
The CIA did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the meeting.
Cuba's statement said the exchanges "clearly demonstrated that Cuba poses no threat to U.S. national security, nor is there any justified reason to keep it on the list of state sponsors of terrorism."
Havana "has never supported any hostile activity against the United States, and will not allow actions against any other country to be conducted from Cuban territory," the statement emphasized, referring to allegations of a Chinese presence.
The visit comes after U.S.-Cuba relations deteriorated significantly. Washington imposed a fuel blockade in January, and President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on the island and has previously mentioned the possibility of annexing Cuba.
Living conditions on the island are dire, with frequent power outages and widespread supply shortages.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio renewed an offer of $100 million (approximately £74.6 million) in aid, contingent on distribution through the Catholic Church rather than the Cuban government.
In a post on X, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel called on the U.S. to lift the blockade instead of offering aid.
"The damage could be alleviated much more simply and quickly by lifting or easing the blockade, as everyone knows that the humanitarian situation is being coldly calculated and caused," he said.
However, if Washington shows "genuine goodwill" in providing aid, he added, "there will be no obstacles or ingratitude from Cuba."
Despite tensions, intergovernmental talks continue, with a high-level diplomatic meeting scheduled in Havana on April 10—the first time a U.S. government aircraft has landed in Cuba's capital since 2016.
