The Cuban Embassy located in Washington, DC was targeted by an attacker wielding two Molotov cocktails on Sunday night, according to a statement by Cuban Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, shared on X (formerly Twitter). Fortunately, no injuries resulted from the assault.
This incident came shortly after Miguel Diaz-Canel, Cuba’s leader, returned to Cuba following his participation in United Nations events held in New York the preceding week.
Though no entity or individual has claimed responsibility for the aggression, Cuban authorities promptly attributed the act to Cuban exiles living in the United States. Rodriguez expressed his concerns via X, stating, “Anti-Cuban groups resort to acts of terrorism when they perceive impunity. This is an issue Cuba has consistently highlighted to the US authorities.”
Cuba’s President, Diaz-Canel, took to X to voice his condemnation of the attack, emphasizing his anticipation of decisive measures from US officials. “Once more, hatred manifested itself last night in a terrorist act against our embassy in Washington. It was a violent act that could have resulted in the loss of invaluable lives,” he posted.
Significantly, the Cuban leader’s UN appearance last week didn’t go unnoticed, with opposition to Havana’s Communist regime, established by Fidel Castro, staging protests.
Jake Sullivan, the White House National Security Adviser, confirmed on Monday that the reported attack was strongly denounced by the US. He assured that communication with Cuban embassy officials was established and assistance was offered to ensure a comprehensive investigation and provision of future protective measures.
Matthew Miller, the US State Department spokesman, revealed that the department is working closely with Washington, DC’s police to investigate the incident. Further, a US Secret Service representative informed NBC News that the attack led to no significant damages to the building, and no arrests had been made thus far.
Although protests are not uncommon outside foreign embassies in Washington, DC, violent attacks of this nature are relatively rare. Notably, this isn’t the first incident targeting the Cuban embassy; in 2020, the building endured rifle shots, leading to visible damages. Following that event, US authorities apprehended Alexander Alazo, charging him with several offenses.
Historically, the Cuban Embassy in the US was reestablished in 2015, marking the rejuvenation of diplomatic relations that had been interrupted since 1961. This reopening occurred under former US President Barack Obama’s administration, intending to reconcile the long-strained ties. However, subsequent presidencies, particularly that of Donald Trump and Joe Biden, have maintained a more restrictive stance toward Cuba, especially after mass protests in the country in July 2021.
