ALERT: Cuba- State Department Orders Embassy Personnel to Leave (September 29, 2017)

Friday, September 29, 2017

Alert – Cuba: State Department Orders Embassy Personnel to Leave

All,

It was announced today that the U.S. State Department has ordered all non-essential U.S. Embassy personnel out of the country. This is due to a mysterious illness that has affected embassy workers.

According to the New York Times:

The State Department announced on Friday that it is pulling more than half of its staff out of the American embassy in Havana in the wake of mysterious attacks that have injured 21 people associated with the embassy.

Some of those attacked have suffered significant injuries, with symptoms including hearing loss, dizziness, tinnitus, balance and visual problems, headache, fatigue, cognitive issues and difficulty sleeping. But despite an intensive investigation by the F.B.I., the cause and perpetrators of the attacks remain a mystery, with some experts speculating that some kind of sonic weapon or faulty surveillance device may have been at fault.

CNN noted that the weapon speculated to be used is not widely known:

Investigators haven’t determined the cause of the incidents, but US officials told CNN they are convinced someone has targeted American diplomats in Havana with a sophisticated device never deployed before, at least not against US personnel.

Additionally, the withdrawal also affects Cubans in the United States. The Miami Herald reports:

Cuban Americans seeking to have their relatives join them from the island will not be able to do so — at least for the time being — as a result of a significant withdrawal of staff from the U.S. Embassy in Havana announced on Friday.

It is not known how long the suspension of the visa reunification program will last.

The State Department has updated its longstanding Travel Warning for Cuba due to these developments.

We will keep you updated on this developing situation, and provide talking points next week. Please let me or anyone on the PR team know if you have any questions.

Please contact the PR Team if you have any concerns: TravelLeadersGroupPR@TravelLeaders.com.