The US has expelled two diplomats from the Cuban Embassy in Washington after incidents in Havana left American officials with potentially permanent hearing loss. Cuba denies involvement and has launched an investigation.
Image: Picture-alliance/AP Photo/A. Harnik
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The US State Department on Wednesday announced it had expelled two Cuban diplomats following a series of "incidents" requiring medical attention for diplomatic staff at the US embassy in Havana.
Some of the affected staff members were evacuated to the US while others chose to return voluntarily, said US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert.
"We don't have any definitive answers about the source or the cause of what we consider to be incidents," said Nauert.
"It's caused a variety of physical symptoms in these American citizens who work for the US government. We take those incidents very seriously, and there is an investigation currently under way."
'Willingness to cooperate'
The Cuban Foreign Ministry has responded by defending itself, saying the security and well-being of foreign diplomatic staff on Cuban soil has always been a priority for the government.
"Cuba has never, nor would ever, allow the Cuban territory to be used for any kind of action against accredited diplomats or their families," the ministry said. It added that it had launched an investigation after the May incident, saying "it reiterates its willingness to cooperate in the clarification of this situation."
After Castro: A snapshot from Cuba
Still reeling from the death of Fidel Castro, Cubans try to hold on to the ideals espoused by the revolutionary leader. Meanwhile, increased tourism and warming relations with the US are affecting their way of life.
Image: Mauro Pimentel
Afternoon on the Prado Promenade
At the Paseo del Prado, beside the central square, hotels line the streets. El Capitolio, the seat of the government until the Cuban Revolution in 1959, has now become a place for social gatherings, where Cubans meet each other to exchange gossip and play games.
Image: Mauro Pimentel
New Cuban fighters
Children have their first lesson in Cuban boxing during a training session at Rafael Trejo Boxing School in the Habana Vieja neighborhood.
Image: Mauro Pimentel
The florist of Vedado
"The Cuban government made my dream to be a nurse and help people a reality," said Mirta Gomez, a retired nurse. Before the revolution, educational opportunities in Cuba were reserved for the elite. Once Castro came into power, Gomez was able to study nursing. She spent most of her career at Havana's Central Hospital. She still helps out and trains new nurses. Her new hobby is selling flowers.
Image: Mauro Pimentel
Cuba rising
Across Havana, buildings are being renovated to make way for the return of American tourism. As the government authorizes certain private business, hotels and restaurants are leading the construction boom. This building will be a group of "casas particulieres," similar to a bed and breakfast, in the Vedado neighborhood. Cubans need to apply for a license to rent rooms in their homes to foreigners.
Image: Mauro Pimentel
The reader
Francisco Arrosa, 75, reads Granma, the Communist Party newspaper, as he waits for new clients. "We are socialists. What Fidel and the Revolution started, the Cuban people will keep," the car mechanic said. "We may not be wealthy, but every Cuban has access to food, education, healthcare, and housing. These things are the revolution."
Image: Mauro Pimentel
Havana for beginners
Tourists take photos from an old American car driving through Plaza Central. With the decades-long US embargo, vehicles from the 1950s and 1960s were the only option for Cubans for many years. Now, Korean, Chinese, and some European brands are entering the island's market. The old cars continue to be used as taxis or for tourism.
Image: Mauro Pimentel
The internet generation
Along one of Havana's most popular boardwalks, Cubans can check their e-mail or read government-approved websites. In 2015, the Cuban government opened the first public wi-fi hotspots in 35 public locations. However, the internet is one of the most censored in the world and essentially unavailable in private homes.
Image: Mauro Pimentel
Keeping the story alive
Canadians make up the largest percentage of Cuba's tourists, but with the resumption of flights and cruise ships from the US, the number of US visitors is expected to surge this year.
Image: Mauro Pimentel
Fishermen of Malacon
As an island nation, fishing plays an important role in Cuban culture, including in its cuisine. Generation after generation have made their livelihood on the practice and fish is one of Cuba's biggest exports. US tourism companies already have their eyes on the country's pristine coastal waters.
The Trump administration announced in June new restrictions on American travel to the island nation along with a clampdown on US business dealings, but stopped short of cutting diplomatic relations restored under former President Barack Obama.
In 1960, Washington cut ties with Cuba after President Raul Castro's brother Fidel led an armed insurgency against the US-backed government of Fulgencio Batista that led to his ouster.
