Cuba rejects culpability in ‘attacks’ against American diplomats

WASHINGTON — Cuba’s top diplomat insisted Tuesday that his government had nothing to do with unexplained health “attacks” on U.S. diplomats, telling Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that Cuba still has no evidence to explain what transpired in Havana. Tillerson emphasized that it’s Cuba’s responsibility to protect diplomats on its soil, regardless of who is to blame.

The former Cold War foes appeared no closer to resolving the bizarre, unexplained incidents that have harmed at least 21 Americans — some with ailments as serious as traumatic brain injury. Cuba requested the meeting between Tillerson and visiting Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez as the U.S. considers shuttering the newly reopened U.S. Embassy in Havana, a response that would deal a devastating blow to the delicate rapprochement between the countries.

The Cuban Embassy in Washington, describing the evening meeting, said Rodriguez told Tillerson that Cuba “has never perpetrated nor will it ever perpetrate attacks of any kind against diplomats.” Rodriguez added that his government also would never let a third party — such as another country hostile to the U.S. — use Cuban territory to attack Americans.

Tillerson, for his part, told the visiting Cuban that the U.S. still has “profound concern” for the safety and security of its diplomats in Havana.