Credit: Gary Raynaldo  /  United Nations New York world headquarters

By Gary Raynaldo     DIPLOMATIC TIMES

The Trump administration said Thursday it is expelling two diplomats from Cuba’s U.N. mission in New York for allegedly trying to conduct “influence operations” in the United States. The Department of State notified the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the United States requires the imminent departure of two members of Cuba’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations for abusing their privileges of residence. 

“This is due to their attempts to conduct influence operations against the United States. In addition to the required departures, travel within the United States by all members of Cuba’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations will now essentially be restricted to the island of Manhattan. We take any and all attempts against the National Security of the United States seriously, and will continue to investigate any additional personnel who may be manipulating their privileges of residence.”

-State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said.

The Trump administration announced the Cuban diplomatic expulsions as the high-profile UN General Assembly gets underway in with some 193 world leaders expected to descend on New York City next week.

In 2015, the U.S. administration of President Obama and Cuba restored relations that had been severed since 1961.  President Trump has unraveled most of the  Obama-era policies toward Cuba. Trump has initiated policies restricting U.S. citizens traveling to Cuba, eliminating 5-year U.S. travel visas for Cuban visitors, limiting the amount of money that Cuban Americans can send to their families in Cuba, and allowing American lawsuits over confiscated Cuban property.

Cuba Foreign Minister Denounces U.S. Expulsion of UN Diplomats 

I strongly reject unjustified expulsion of 2 officials from Permanent Mission of #Cuba to the #UN & increased restrictions of movement imposed on our diplomats & their families. Allegations that they engaged in actions incompatible with their diplomatic status is a gross slander.

— Bruno Rodríguez P (@BrunoRguezP) September 19, 2019