The Cuban Embassy in Washington, D.C. is the diplomatic mission of Cuba to the United States of America. It is located at 2630 16th Street Northwest, in the Meridian Hill neighborhood.[1] The building was originally constructed in 1917 as the Cuban embassy,[2] and served in that capacity until the United States severed relations with Cuba in 1961.[3]On July 1, 2015, US President Barack Obama announced the formal restoration of diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba.[4] The building resumed its role as the Cuban Embassy on July 20, 2015.[5]
| Cuban Embassy in Washington, D.C. | |
|---|---|
 The Embassy of Cuba in 2023 | |
 | |
| Location | 2630 16th Street NW Washington, D.C. United States |
| Coordinates | 38°55′27″N 77°02′13″W / 38.9242°N 77.037°W |
| Ambassador | H.E. Lianys Torres Rivera (since 2020) |
History
From 1977 to 2015, the former Cuban Embassy housed the Cuban Interests Section in the United States. The interests section was staffed by Cubans and operated independently, but it was formally a section of the protecting power's embassy. From 1977 to 1991, it operated as the Cuba Interests Section of the Czechoslovak Embassy to the United States. In 1991, the post-Communist government of Czechoslovakia refused to continue its sponsorship of Cuba. From 1991 to 2015, the Cuban Interests Section operated under the Swiss Embassy,[6] until diplomatic relations were re-established and the building resumed its role as the Cuban embassy.
On May 19, 1979, Omega 7 detonated a bomb in the building,[7] which did more damage to the Lithuanian legation next door.[8]
On April 30, 2020, a gunman opened fire at the building with an AK-47 style rifle. No one was injured, and the gunman, a 42-year-old man from Aubrey, Texas, was arrested.[9] Though the gunman's motivation was not officially known, a police report called it a "suspected hate crime".[10]
Two Molotov cocktails were thrown at the embassy in September 2023, causing no injuries or significant damage.[11]
Designations since 1953
| Designation | Period | Title of representative |
|---|---|---|
| Embassy | 1923 – January 3, 1961 | Ambassador |
| Interests Section | September 1, 1977 – July 20, 2015[note 1] | Chief of Mission ad interim |
| Embassy | July 20, 2015 – present | Ambassador |
Note
Plenipotentiary representatives
Chiefs of Cuban Interests Section: 1977–2015
- 1977–89: Ramón Sánchez-Parodi Montoto
- 1989–92: José Antonio Arbesú
- 1992–98: Alfonso Fraga
- 1998–2001: Fernando Remírez de Estenoz Barciela
- 2001–07: Dagoberto Rodríguez Barrera
- 2007–12: Jorge Bolaños
- 2012–15: José Ramón Cabañas Rodríguez[12]
Ambassadors: 2015–present
- 2015–2020: José Ramón Cabañas Rodríguez
- 2020–present: Lianys Torres Rivera
See also
References
External links
