I’ve always had a hard time with the conversation between Michael and Fredo in Cuba, during which the former reveals his scheme to kill Roth later that day in a preemptive move to forestall an attempt on his own life.

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It does not make sense for Michael to share this literally vital information with Fredo while his brother remained a potential suspect in the previous assassination attempt in Nevada. Previously, on two occasions, Michael had stated he was trying to find “the traitor in my family.” The manner in which Michael talks (and even looks at) Fredo in Cuba, moreover, strongly indicates he has his suspicions about him (take for instance the manner in which he asks Fredo if he has ever met Johnny Ola). We have reason to believe Michael has not ruled out Fredo’s complicity in bringing about the Nevada attempt; trusting him, therefore, with information on how the next attempt is to be avoided seems extraordinarily out of character.