The grandson of former Cuban leader Raul Castro attempted to secretly send a letter to US President Donald Trump via a wealthy Havana entrepreneur last week, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday, citing US officials.
The letter reportedly resembled a formal diplomatic note and bore an official Cuban seal. It was intended as a back-channel communication to Trump, outlining proposals for economic and investment cooperation, requesting relief from sanctions, and cautioning that the Cuban government was bracing for a possible US incursion.
This message represented an “extraordinary attempt” to initiate dialogue with the Trump administration by Raul Rodriguez Castro, 41, a grandson of Raul Castro and his chief aide, at a time when Cuba is facing its most severe economic crisis in decades.
However, the plan fell apart when the courier—Roberto Carlos Chamizo Gonzalez, a 37-year-old Cuban businessman involved in luxury tourism and high-end car rentals—was intercepted by a Customs and Border Protection agent at a Miami airport. The agent confiscated the letter and sent him back to Havana, effectively ending the attempt.
Notably, Trump said Monday that the US “may stop by Cuba” after the war with Iran, adding that the island is a “failing nation.” Earlier, Trump suggested he could “take” or “free” Cuba.
Cuba has faced a prolonged economic crisis marked by fuel shortages, rolling blackouts and limited access to food and medicine. Cuban officials attribute much of the hardship to decades-long US sanctions, while American officials argue that structural economic issues are to blame.