On Tuesday, October 3, the United States ordered the expulsion of 15 Cuban diplomats and asked them to leave the country within a week. Last week, the U.S. removed more than half of its embassy staff from Havana. Washington considered this action a response to "targeted attacks" that have affected the health of American diplomats. According to Reuters, U.S. officials say this decision was made due to Havana's failure to take necessary measures to protect American diplomats in Cuba. Rex Tillerson, the U.S. Secretary of State, stated on Tuesday regarding the expulsion of Cuban diplomats that this action was taken to establish a balance between the number of American diplomats in Havana and the number of Cuban diplomats in Washington. Tillerson clarified in a statement that until the Cuban government guarantees the safety of American diplomats, the number of our embassy staff will be reduced to an emergency level to minimize risk. The U.S. Secretary of State emphasized that we will continue our diplomatic relations with Cuba and cooperate with Cuba regarding investigations into these attacks. Meanwhile, it is reported that investigations into the attacks on American diplomats in Havana are ongoing. In this context, Bruno Rodriguez, the Cuban Foreign Minister, condemned the U.S. decision to expel 15 Cuban diplomats as "unacceptable". He also accused the U.S. of not cooperating with Cuba in the investigations regarding the attacks on diplomats. The Cuban Foreign Minister further criticized the politicization of this issue by the U.S. Since last year, several American diplomats residing in Cuba and their families have experienced mysterious and unspecified physical problems, including some suffering from hearing loss and dizziness. It is reported that so far 21 diplomats and their families have suffered from such physical issues. According to Reuters, the reduction in the number of American and Cuban diplomats will disrupt the normalization process of relations between the two countries. During Barack Obama's presidency, diplomatic relations between the two countries were restored in 2015 after about five decades of hostility. Following that, the embassies of both countries were reopened, and some restrictions on travel and business relations were lifted. The Trump administration has not yet held the Cuban government responsible for these attacks.
The U.S. Expels 15 Cuban Diplomats
The U.S. has expelled 15 Cuban diplomats in response to health issues affecting American diplomats in Cuba, citing Havana's failure to ensure their safety. This decision follows a significant reduction in U.S. embassy staff in Havana and could disrupt the normalization of relations between the two countries established under the Obama administration.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
The U.S. expelled 15 Cuban diplomats in response to health issues affecting American diplomats in Cuba, citing Havana's failure to ensure their safety. This follows a significant reduction in U.S. embassy staff in Havana.
- The U.S. has reduced its embassy staff in Havana to an emergency level.
- 21 American diplomats and their families have reported mysterious health issues.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
U.S.-Cuba relations have been historically tense, but efforts to normalize relations were made during the Obama administration. Recent health issues affecting diplomats have reignited tensions.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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