Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says the U. S. embassy in Havana will keep only emergency personnel working there until Cuba can ensure the U. S. that its diplomats are safe.
The Latest on the U. S. policy on Cuba (all times local):
12:30 p.m.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says the U. S. embassy in Havana will keep only emergency personnel working there until Cuba can ensure the U. S. that its diplomats are safe.
Tillerson says in a statement that the decision to pull out roughly 60 percent of the embassy staff was « to ensure the safety of our personnel. »
He says the U. S. continues to have diplomatic relations with Cuba that advance U. S. interests and national security. Tillerson says the U. S. will continue cooperating with Cuba on the investigation.
The secretary says the U. S. has no reports that private American citizens were affected by the attacks. But he says that because the U. S. doesn’t know the cause or source of the attacks, it can’t advise people on how to protect themselves.
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12:20 p.m.
The United States has issued an official travel warning that urges American citizens not to visit Cuba.
The State Department’s warning says numerous workers at the U. S. Embassy in Havana have been targeted in « specific attacks. » The warning says attacks occurred in residences and hotels that Americans frequently visit. The State Department says it believes U. S. citizens may be at risk if they visit, even if they aren’t diplomats.
The travel warning says that symptoms experienced by those affected by the attacks include hearing loss, cognitive issues, trouble sleeping, fatigue, headache, dizziness and ear complaints.
The U. S. is also warning citizens that the government will have limited ability to help them if they travel to Cuba. That’s because the U. S. is withdrawing most of its diplomats in Cuba in response to the attacks.
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9:31 a.m.
Senior U. S. officials say the United States is pulling roughly 60 percent of its staff out of Cuba and warning American travelers not to visit due to « specific attacks » that have harmed U. S. diplomats.
The officials say the U. S. is ordering all nonessential staff in the embassy in Havana to leave, along with all family members. Only « emergency personnel » will remain.
The U. S. is also warning American citizens they could be harmed if they travel to Cuba. A State Department travel warning will note that attacks on diplomats have occurred in hotels.
The officials say the U. S. is halting visa processing in Cuba indefinitely. They say the steps will remain until Cuba can assure the U. S. its diplomats are safe.
The officials weren’t authorized to comment publicly and demanded anonymity.
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