×
GreekEnglish

×
  • Politics
  • Diaspora
  • World
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Cooking
Tuesday
23
Dec 2025
weather symbol
Athens 15°C
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • World
  • Diaspora
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Mediterranean Cooking
  • Weather
Contact follow Protothema:
Powered by Cloudevo
> World

Tillerson Says U.S. May Close Cuba Embassy Over Mystery Ailments

21 Americans associated with the embassy experienced a host of unexplained health problems...

Newsroom September 19 11:29

The Trump administration is considering closing the recently reopened United States Embassy in Havana after 21 Americans associated with the embassy experienced a host of unexplained health problems.

Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson said during an appearance on CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday that such a closing was “under evaluation.”

“It’s a very serious issue with respect to the harm that certain individuals have suffered,” he said. “We’ve brought some of those people home. It’s under review.”

The Trump administration has already reversed crucial pieces of what President Trump has called a “terrible and misguided deal” with Cuba that was struck during the Obama administration, but closing the embassy would be the most dramatic action yet to return the relationship to its Cold War deep freeze.

A closing of the embassy, were it to occur, would be less a political statement than one of concern over the risks that employees face in Havana. The American Foreign Service Association reported this month that the symptoms among those affected included mild traumatic brain injury, permanent hearing loss, loss of balance, severe headaches and brain swelling.

While noting that Cuba is responsible for protecting the health of diplomats posted to the country, State Department officials have yet to suggest that the Cuban government was behind the attacks. The Associated Press reported this weekend that the initial reaction by the Cuban president, Raúl Castro, to the news — apparent concern, with none of the usual how-dare-you-accuse-us attitude — had caught American officials off guard.

The Cubans even offered to let the F.B.I. go to Havana and investigate, a rare level of openness that suggested to some American officials that the Cuban government was equally baffled about the cause. Victims told The A.P. how they walked in and out of what seemed like powerful beams of sound that hit only certain rooms or even only parts of rooms.

American officials have speculated that the problems may have resulted from some sort of sonic attack or perhaps a surveillance operation gone wrong. The attack may have been the work of a rogue government unit or another government like Russia. That a Canadian diplomat was also affected deepened the mystery. Relations between Canada and Cuba have long been warm.

While the Trump administration has moved to reinstate travel and commercial restrictions on Cuba, there has appeared to be little appetite to entirely undo measures that are broadly popular, including among Republicans. That is another reason the administration has reacted cautiously.

Still, the attacks have led to growing concern on Capitol Hill. On Friday, five Republican senators sent a letter to Mr. Tillerson asking that he expel all Cuban diplomats in the United States and, if Cuba does not take tangible action, close the American Embassy in Havana.

>Related articles

Politico: Despite the war, France will build nuclear fuel in Germany with the help of a Russian company

A Russian-American agreement on Ukraine is what our opponents in Brussels fear, says Sergei Ryabkov

“Don’t even think about it, those who believe they can restore empires” – The message from the Tripartite Summit to Erdogan, what Netanyahu & Mitsotakis (video)

American and Cuban officials met in Washington that day as part of a continuing law enforcement dialogue, and the subject of the attacks was raised, according to the State Department.

“It is an aggressive investigation that continues, and we will continue doing this until we find out who or what is responsible for this,” Heather Nauert, the department’s spokeswoman, said on Thursday.

Source

Ask me anything

Explore related questions

#cuba#diplomacy#embassy#FBI#Rex Tillerson#usa
> More World

Follow en.protothema.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news

See all the latest News from Greece and the World, the moment they happen, at en.protothema.gr

> Latest Stories

Damage, anger and hardship, cancellations in tourism up to 50% due to roadblocks – “Mainland Greece is bleeding,” professionals say

December 23, 2025

Our army will remain in Gaza, says Israeli Defence Minister

December 23, 2025

George Petzetakis: Debts in Athens, business and the high life in America despite international warrants

December 23, 2025

The Pentagon “sees” strong nuclear mobility in China: Over 100 intercontinental ballistic missiles have been deployed near Mongolia

December 23, 2025

Exploring the soundscapes of Axios Delta and Lake Orestiada

December 23, 2025

Afroditi Latinopoulou’s interview with Tasos Xiarchos, their dance, the young woman who got flustered, and the remark “For someone who’s gay, you outshine many men”

December 23, 2025

Decrease in container traffic in Piraeus, upward trends in other European ports of COSCO

December 23, 2025

Saks in the shadow of bankruptcy – In a difficult position despite raising billions

December 23, 2025
All News

> Greece

Damage, anger and hardship, cancellations in tourism up to 50% due to roadblocks – “Mainland Greece is bleeding,” professionals say

Hardship on the roads for holiday travelers – Anger among professionals who were counting on the holiday period to work – Damage to tourism and tourism-related sectors and to transport

December 23, 2025

Afroditi Latinopoulou’s interview with Tasos Xiarchos, their dance, the young woman who got flustered, and the remark “For someone who’s gay, you outshine many men”

December 23, 2025

The world tour of Bofiliou with Haroulis was cancelled

December 23, 2025

Record passenger traffic for Athens International Airport – 34 million passengers by 2025

December 23, 2025

Weather Alert: Heavy rain and storms are incoming

December 23, 2025
Homepage
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY COOKIES POLICY TERM OF USE
Powered by Cloudevo
Copyright © 2025 Πρώτο Θέμα