Cuba FM Visits Tillerson in Washington

At a time of diplomatic tension over the alleged sonic attacks

HAVANA TIMES – US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will receive Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez on Tuesday in Washington, amid tension over the alleged sonic attacks on US diplomatic personnel in Havana.

The meeting is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. (EDT), informed the State Department, reported dpa news.

Tillerson recently said that the US is considering closing its embassy in Cuba after some 20 diplomats suffered mysterious health problems in recent months, including minor cerebral lesions or loss of hearing caused by supposed sonic attacks.

Last month the State Department said that the diplomats reported “some symptoms” of an “attack on their health.”

Washington expelled two Cuban diplomats from the US in response to the incident.

In his speech to the UN General Assembly last week, Rodriguez asked that the incident involving the US diplomats not be politicized and restated that the Cuban government has no “evidence whatsoever” about the causes that provoked the health problems.

“The investigation to clear up this matter continues, and for it to be effectively carried out cooperation with US authorities is essential,” said the Cuban Foreign Minister.

Former US President Obama reestablished US diplomatic relations with Cuba after more than 50 years and reopened its embassy in Havana in 2015.

The current US president, Donald Trump, took several measures to reverse the reforms of Obama in relation to Cuba, but maintained the embassy open in Havana.  Trump said that his administration would not lift the embargo on Cuba until fundamental reforms are carried out on the island.