State Dept. Expels 15 Cuban Officials From DC Embassy
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WASHINGTON (CBSMiami) - In retaliation for a string of sonic attacks against American diplomats in Havana, the State Department has demanded that more than a dozen Cuban officials leave the Cuban Embassy in Washington.
The 15 Cuban nationals have be given seven days to depart the country.
"The decision was made due to Cuba's failure to take appropriate steps to protect our diplomats in accordance with its obligations under the Vienna Convention. This order will ensure equity in our respective diplomatic operations," said Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in a statement.
Diplomatic ties between the two countries will remain intact.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration decided to pull nonessential staff from the U.S. Embassy in Havana to ensure their safety and well being.
A U.S. doctor who evaluated American and Canadian diplomats working in Havana diagnosed them with conditions as serious as mild traumatic brain injury, and with likely damage to the central nervous system.
The diplomats had complained about hearing loss, nausea, headaches and balance issues.
A source familiar with these incidents says officials are investigating whether the diplomats were targets of a type of sonic attack directed at their homes, which were provided by the Cuban government.
The Cuban government has denied any involvement in the diplomats' "mysterious symptoms."
U.S. citizens are being urged not to travel to Cuba because of the sonic threat.