U.S. zaps Cuba over ‘sonic attacks,’ boots 15 diplos
WASHINGTON — The United States expelled 15 of Cuba’s diplomats Tuesday to protest its failure to protect Americans from unexplained attacks in Havana, plunging diplomatic ties between the countries to levels unseen in years.
Only days ago, the U.S. and Cuba maintained dozens of diplomats in newly reopened embassies in Havana and Washington, powerful symbols of a warming relationship between longtime foes. Now both countries are poised to cut their embassies by more than half, as invisible, unexplained attacks threaten delicate ties between the Cold War rivals.
The State Department gave Cuba’s ambassador a list Tuesday of 15 names and ordered them out within one week, officials said, in a move that aims to “ensure equity” between each nation’s embassy staffing.
Last week, the U.S. announced it was withdrawing 60% of its own diplomats from Havana because they might be attacked and harmed if they stay.
U.S. officials emphasized they were not accusing Cuba of either culpability or complicity, merely a failure to stop whatever is happening to Americans working out of the U.S. Embassy in Havana. At least 22 Americans have reported being sickened or harmed.
Investigators are exploring the possibility of a “sonic attack” harming diplomats through sound waves, but have discovered no device and identified no culprit.