WASHINGTON: The Cuban embassy in Washington experienced a distressing incident on Sunday night when an individual launched two Molotov cocktails at the premises. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez labeled this as a “terrorist attack,” but fortunately, none of the embassy staff suffered harm during the event.
Unfortunately, this marks the second assault on the Cuban mission in Washington in recent years, following a shooting incident in April 2020, which, fortunately, did not result in injuries.
The timing of this latest attack is noteworthy, occurring shortly after Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel’s return to Havana from his visit to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, during which he engaged with Cuban communities in the United States. Protests by Cuban residents in the U.S. against Diaz-Canel’s presence at the UN were reported during his stay, with videos and reports circulating on social media.
In response to the attack, Minister Rodriguez pointed out that “anti-Cuban groups resort to terrorism when they feel they enjoy impunity,” highlighting Cuba’s previous warnings to U.S. authorities regarding such threats.
Referring to the 2020 incident, the Cuban Foreign Minister recalled that he summoned the then U.S. Charge d’Affaires in Havana, Mara Tekach, to express strong protest against what he described as a “terrorist aggression” against the embassy. The 2020 shooting resulted in damage to the building, including bullet holes in the exterior walls, broken street lamps, and damage to glass panes and moldings on the front of the embassy.
In response to the 2020 attack, U.S. authorities arrested Alexander Alazo, then 42, and later indicted him in July 2020 on multiple charges, including the “violent attack on a foreign official or official premises using a deadly weapon,” according to the U.S. Justice Department.
