Southcom commander meets with Cuban military officials as Trump amps up pressure on island

Meeting follows heightened US pressure on Cuba and recent CIA director visit to Havana

The top U.S. commander in Latin America has met with Cuban military leaders in a “brief exchange on operational security matters” near the U.S. Navy base in Guantanamo Bay

Top Trump aides, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, have met with Cuban officials to explore possible improvements in relations.

The Cuban Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.