A recent unannounced U.S. diplomatic visit to Cuba suggests the potential for a near-term deal that reduces tensions, though a U.S. military and/or law enforcement operation remains possible as Washington sustains pressure on Havana amid ongoing divergences in negotiations. On April 17, Axios reported that U.S. State Department personnel traveled to Havana on April 10 for previously unannounced talks with central Cuban political figures, marking the first time a U.S. government plane landed in Cuba since 2016. During the talks, U.S. officials reportedly said that the White House was open to a diplomatic solution to ease bilateral tensions, but warned it would not tolerate resistance to its demands. According to Axios and other media outlets, those demands include compensating U.S. residents and corporations whose assets were confiscated after the 1959 Revolution, releasing political prisoners and granting the Cuban population greater political freedoms. USA Today also reported on April 20, citing...
