The Voice News: HAVANA — Cuba’s foreign ministry issued a verbal warning on Friday to the United States’ top diplomat in Havana, accusing him of “interventionist” behavior amid rising tensions between the two longtime adversaries.
The ministry alleged that U.S. Chief of Mission Mike Hammer encouraged Cuban citizens to commit serious crimes and undermine the country’s constitutional order, actions it says violate the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations.
“The immunity granted to diplomats cannot be used as a shield for behavior that threatens the sovereignty and internal stability of the host country,” the statement said.
Hammer, a veteran diplomat who has been stationed in Cuba for six months, has traveled across the island, meeting with dissidents — a move that has angered Cuban officials, who accuse him of inciting unrest.
In response, the U.S. State Department defended Hammer’s activities.
“Chief of Mission Mike Hammer and the U.S. Embassy represent President Trump’s America First policy and hold the Cuban regime accountable for its malign influence across the Americas,” a spokesperson said. “We will continue to engage with Cuban patriots, religious leaders, and those advocating for greater freedoms.”
The warning follows Hammer’s recent comments in Miami, where he said the Trump administration was preparing new sanctions against the Cuban government. Though Cuba has long criticized Hammer’s outreach, it has not restricted his travel within the country.
The diplomatic clash comes as Cuba faces its worst economic crisis in decades, which the government attributes to the enduring U.S. embargo and related restrictions on trade, tourism, and financial flows.
