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A US State Department delegation visited Havana on April 10 for meetings with Cuban officials, including Raul Rodriguez Castro, the grandson of former Cuban leader Raul Castro, according to a report by Axios. The visit, first reported on Friday and confirmed by two US officials speaking to The Hindu, represents the first known high-level American diplomatic mission to Cuba in a decade.

Coverage Comparison

Axios, as cited by TASS, described the visit as a "diplomatic breakthrough," noting that a US government aircraft landed on the island for the first time since former President Barack Obama's trip in 2016. The delegation reportedly urged Cuban authorities to embrace "democratic and economic freedoms," warning that Havana has "a small window to make key US-backed reforms before circumstances irreversibly worsen." In exchange, Washington offered to help lift the Cuban embargo and provide access to Starlink satellite services, according to the same report.

The Hindu, reporting independently, confirmed that a senior State Department official met with Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro, the grandson of the retired Cuban leader, and that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was not part of the delegation. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, did not identify which US official met with Rodriguez Castro or what specifically was discussed.

TASS also relayed a separate report from The Wall Street Journal, which alleged a parallel backchannel effort: Rodriguez Castro reportedly asked a Havana businessman, Roberto Carlos Gonzalez, to personally deliver a message to President Donald Trump. The message, formatted as a diplomatic note, proposed economic and investment agreements and the lifting of US sanctions. However, Gonzalez was stopped by US Customs and Border Protection officers in Miami and the letter was confiscated before it could reach the White House.

Key Claims

  • The April 10 visit and meeting with Castro's grandson is confirmed by multiple sources, including a State Department official quoted by The Hindu, and Axios as cited by TASS.
  • The purported backchannel message to Trump is reported solely by The Wall Street Journal, as relayed by TASS, and has not been independently verified. The White House did not respond to inquiries about whether Trump received the letter.
  • The offer to lift the embargo and provide Starlink access is attributed solely to Axios's report, as cited by TASS, and has not been corroborated by other outlets.
  • Cuba's preparations for a US invasion are mentioned only in The Wall Street Journal's account of the letter's contents, and are not independently confirmed.
  • Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel's statement that Cuba is prepared to fight if the US intervenes was made publicly this week, according to The Hindu, and is attributed to his remarks.

Perspectives

Washington's View (as presented by Axios and US officials): The visit is framed as an effort to encourage reforms in Cuba while addressing US national security concerns about foreign intelligence and militant groups operating near American shores. The offer of Starlink and embargo relief appears conditional on Cuban reforms.

Havana's View (as projected by Cuban officials and Diaz-Canel): Cuba has signaled openness to dialogue — Diaz-Canel confirmed talks with Washington on March 13 aimed at finding solutions through dialogue on bilateral differences. However, he has also publicly warned that Cuba is prepared to fight if the US intervenes, reflecting deep mistrust of American intentions.

Russia's Perspective (via TASS): Reporting emphasizes Cuba's vulnerability, citing US pressure on Venezuelan oil supplies and Trump's earlier remarks about a "friendly takeover" of Cuba. TASS frames the US visit as a coercive tactic rather than a genuine diplomatic opening.

The Wall Street Journal's Angle: Focuses on the alleged backchannel effort to bypass Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is known for his hardline stance on Cuba, suggesting divisions within the US administration over how to handle the island.

Timeline and Context

  • On February 27, Trump said the US could carry out a "friendly takeover of Cuba."
  • On March 5, Trump announced he would develop a course of action on Cuba after concluding the military operation against Iran.
  • On March 13, Diaz-Canel said Havana and Washington had held talks aimed at "finding solutions through dialogue on bilateral differences."
  • In February, Axios reported that Rubio was secretly discussing Cuba's future with Castro's grandson.
These events suggest a fluid and contradictory diplomatic landscape: public threats and backchannel maneuvers coexist with official visits and offers of cooperation. The outcome remains uncertain, as both sides appear to be testing multiple channels simultaneously.