March 2–The U.S. government announced it is making its previous staffing reductions at its embassy in Havana, Cuba permanent.
The U.S. State Department cut its staff by roughly half last September following an unexplained medical conditions experienced by 24 U.S. personnel who heard sonic noises in their homes, the embassy and in their hotel rooms in Havana, Cuba.
The staff cuts are scheduled to become permanent on March 5.
“The embassy will continue to operate with the minimum personnel necessary to perform core diplomatic and consular functions, similar to the level of emergency staffing maintained during ordered departure,” a State Department statement said on March 2. “We still do not have definitive answers on the source or cause of the attacks, and an investigation into the attacks is ongoing. The health, safety, and well-being of U.S. government personnel and family members are of the greatest concern for Secretary Tillerson and were a key factor in the decision to reduce the number of personnel assigned to Havana.”
It is a set back for advocates of improving relations. About two dozen travel agencies had asked the State Department to restore its staff in Havana and ease its travel advisories to Cuba.
Furthermore, proponents of strengthening U.S.-Cuban relations said the staff reductions have caused a backlog in the processing of visa applications. James Williams, president of Engage Cuba, released a statement saying it could open up opportunities for U.S. adversaries. “This decision will be applauded in Moscow and Beijing, as both countries are poised to take advantage of Cuba’s historic transition of power while the United States remains on the sidelines,” he said.