The Cuban Foreign Ministry has issued a statement protesting the United States against Michael Hammer, the missionary party on the island.
In a press release issued Friday, the Foreign Ministry accused Hammer of “unfriendly and interfering” since arriving in Cuba in the second half of 2024.
“Diplomatic officials are promoting provocative and irresponsible behavior by inciting Cuban citizens to commit extremely serious criminal acts, attacking the constitutional order, or encouraging them to act or demonstrate against the authorities in support of the interests and objectives of hostile diplomatic powers,” the Foreign Ministry wrote.
“The immunity he enjoys as a representative of his country cannot be used as a cover to the sovereignty and internal order of the states he assigned, in this case Cuba.”
The Foreign Ministry said the message was conveyed by its bilateral director in the United States by Alejandro Garcia del Toro.
Friday’s statement is the latest sign of an increasing number of rock ties between Cuba and the United States, especially since President Donald Trump began his second term in January.
However, diplomatic ties between the two countries have been cold for decades, dating back to the Cold War in the 1960s. After the Cuban Revolution in 1959, the U.S. government imposed strict trade restrictions on the island and supported efforts to overthrow the newly formed Communist government.
However, efforts have been made to ease tensions, especially in the administration of Democratic presidents such as Barack Obama and Joe Biden in the United States.
For example, in 2016, Obama tried to normalize relations with Cuba, but saw these efforts go bankrupt from the first Trump administration that began in 2017.
Similarly, President Biden (formerly Vice President Obama) removed Cuba from the U.S. list of “state terrorism state sponsors” during the days of his tenure in January.
But after taking office for the second time on January 20, Trump turned the course again and put Cuba back on the same day.
Trump also included several officials in his presidential cabinet, most notably former Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Born as a Cuban immigrant, Rubio is an outspoken supporter of continuing the trade embargo on the island.
Meanwhile, the Cuban government continues to accuse the United States of trying to undermine its leadership.
In a statement Friday, the Cuban Foreign Ministry accused Hammer of his recent visit to the grave of 19th-century national hero Jose Marti.
The U.S. Embassy published a video of the visit at the Cuban Embassy, which included Marti's words: "Respect for the freedom and thoughts of others, even the most unpleasant person, is my passion: if I die or be killed, it will be for that." Critics believe that the quote is a suggestive endorsement of the island's dissent.
In recent months, Trump plans to tighten the Cuban government's screws again to return to the "maximum pressure" movement for foreign policy during his first term.
In February, for example, the Trump administration announced it would sign contracts from anyone working with the Cuban healthcare system, which sends thousands of healthcare workers each year, especially in the Caribbean.
Critics criticize the low wages of health care programs and the huge restrictions on employees. Meanwhile, Trump and Rubio claimed that the health care system constituted a form of “forced labor” rich in the Cuban government. But the Havana leaders denied the allegation.
Then, in April, the U.S. government condemned Cuba for reconquering a group of dissidents, including prominent figures such as Jose Daniel Ferrer and Felix Navarro.
Cuba initially agreed to release Ferrer and Navarro, part of a bargaining earlier this year by the Vatican broker.
Cuba is expected to release 553 prisoners, many of whom have been swept in anti-government protests, and in exchange, the United States should relax sanctions on the islands. However, sanctions relief never appeared.
This month, additional measures were taken against Cuba. Under Rubio's guidance, the State Council determined that "Cuba did not fully cooperate with our counter-terrorism efforts in 2024." It accused Cuba of 11 types of fugitives, some of whom faced terrorism-related charges in the United States.
"The Cuban regime clearly shows that it is unwilling to discuss their return to justice in our country," the State Department wrote in a press release. "The United States will continue to promote international cooperation on counter-terrorism. We will also continue to promote accountability for countries that do not oppose terrorism."
As a punishment, Cuba is marked as a "non-completely cooperative country" under the Arms Export Control Act, which restricts its ability to purchase weapons and other defense tools from the United States.
In addition, Hammer recently indicated new sanctions on the island.
But in the face of Friday's condemnation, the State Department said it did not avoid it and would continue to support dissenters against Cuba's "vicious influence."