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The United States connected Sunday (February 1, 2026) accused Cuba of interfering with the enactment of its apical diplomat successful Havana aft tiny groups of Cubans jeered at him during meetings with residents and religion representatives outside the capital. Amid rising tensions betwixt the 2 countries, the State Department connected societal media accused the Cuban authorities of “failed intimidation tactics,” and it demanded that Havana halt “sending individuals to interfere with the diplomatic work” of U.S. Charge d’Affaires Mike Hammer.
Friction has accrued betwixt the long-time foes aft U.S. President Donald Trump past week declared Cuba “an unusual and bonzer threat” to U.S. nationalist information and said helium would slap tariffs connected immoderate state that delivered lipid to the communist-run Caribbean island.
Mr. Trump connected Sunday (February 1, 2026) said Cuba was “a failing nation” but added: “I think we’re going to make a woody with Cuba.”
Mr. Hammer, a vocation diplomat who arrived successful Cuba successful precocious 2024, has travelled the land wide to conscionable with governmental dissidents, Catholic Church representatives and others. The Cuban authorities accuses him of seeking to foment unrest.
On Saturday (January 31, 2026), helium posted a video describing alleged harassment pursuing a gathering with local religion leaders.
“When I near the parish, a fewer communists, surely frustrated by however atrocious the gyration is going, shouted obscenities astatine me,” Mr. Hammer said successful the video connected societal media.
Subsequently, respective much videos surfaced showing tiny groups of radical successful 2 locations during nighttime blackouts, taunting Mr. Hammer with cries of “Assassin!” and “Imperialist!”
Reuters could not place the individuals successful the videos, and Cuba’s authorities has not commented connected them.
Cuba’s Foreign Ministry past twelvemonth complained to Mr. Hammer astir behaviour it said was “interventionist” and alleged helium incited Cubans to perpetrate crimes and onslaught the state.
The U.S. Embassy, which produces the videos, has denied those charges and says Mr. Hammer is simply doing his job.
The 2 neighbouring countries person been astatine likelihood since Fidel Castro’s 1959 revolution, but a crippling economical situation connected the land and stepped up unit from the Trump medication person precocious brought the struggle to a head.
