Photo: Gary Raynaldo  / Plaque outside the Permanent Residence of Cuba to the United Nations in New York City at 315 Lexington Ave.

By Gary Raynaldo    DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

The Trump administration on Thursday announced the expulsion of two diplomats from Cuba’s U.N. mission in New York  for allegedly trying to conduct “influence operations” in the United States.  However, the US Department of State has not disclosed specifically what the influence operations consist of,  who they were aimed at, or the identity of the two Cuban diplomats. 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  be restricted to the island of Manhattan, the State Department announced Thursday.

“So as we announced yesterday, we identified that there were two Cuban individuals who are accredited to the Cuban UN mission who were conducting what we’ve referred to as influence operations.  And while I can’t get into specifics on exactly what that means, what I will say is that we have been saying for years that the Cuban regime violates the sovereignty of every country that it operates in. We are very proud of the action we’ve taken, as long as the Cuban regime continues to send people to this country to conduct inappropriate behavior, we will continue to take required actions.”

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Carrie Filipetti  stated during a State Department press briefing Sep. 20, 2019. 

Credit: Gary Raynaldo /  Cuban flag at the Permanent Residence of Cuba to the United Nations in New York City

United Nations Secretariat Says US Expulsion Of Cuban Diplomats From UN  Mission Is ‘Serious’

Credit: Gary Raynaldo /  Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres at press briefing at world headquarters in New York Sep. 20, 2019.

“…it’s a serious matter.  Yes.  We have seen the announcement by the US Government of its decision to request two members of the Permanent Mission of Cuba to the UN to leave the country and the position of travel restrictions on all members of the Mission.  I can confirm to you that the US Mission to the UN informed the Secretariat today of that decision and of the fact that they had taken this decision under Section 13B of the UN-US Headquarters Agreement.  Given the sensitivity of the issue, we will not comment further at this stage, other than confirm that we are closely following the matter.”

-Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Guterres

Travel Of Members of Cuba’s Permanent Mission to UN  Now Restricted To Manhattan

Credit:  Gary Raynaldo /  Permanent Residence of Cuba to the United Nations located in Midtown-Manhattan section of  New York City