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Embassy of the United States, Havana

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Embassy of the United States, Havana
Native name
Spanish: Embajada de los Estados Unidos de América La Habana

Chancery Building as seen from the southeast. This formerly was the US Interests Section of the Embassy of Switzerland in Havana, Cuba. Between 1977 and 2015, Switzerland was the protecting power of the United States in Cuba.
LocationHavana, Cuba
Embassy of the United States, Havana is located in Cuba
Embassy of the United States, Havana
Location of Embassy of the United States, Havana in Cuba

The Embassy of the United States of America in Havana is the United States of America's diplomatic mission in the Republic of Cuba. Direct bilateral diplomatic relations did not exist between the two governments from the 1960s to the 2010s. On January 3, 1961, President Dwight D. Eisenhower severed relations following the Cuban Revolution of the 1950s.[2] Relations were subsequently restored by Cuban President Raúl Castro and President Barack Obama on July 20, 2015.[3][4][5]

The building housed the United States Interests Section in Havana between 1977 and 2015, which operated under the auspices of the Swiss Embassy (acting as protecting power).[6] On July 1, 2015 it was announced that with the resumption of diplomatic ties, the building resumed its role as the U.S. Embassy in Cuba on July 20, 2015.[7][8][9][10] The embassy is currently led by Chargé d'affaires ad interim Ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis.[1][11]

History

Embassy on the Malecón in the distance beyond the José Martí Anti-Imperialist Platform, ca. 1973.

The embassy was designed in the Modernist—Brutalist style by the architectural firm Harrison & Abramovitz. It is a long and six-story concrete and glass building, completed in 1953.[6] The gardens were designed by Californian landscape architect Thomas Dolliver Church. The contractor for the building was Jaime Alberto Mitrani, PE, also a professor of civil engineering at the University of Havana. The embassy complex is located directly on the Bay of Havana and the José Martí Anti-Imperialist Platform, in proximity to the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

After the U.S. diplomatic mission became defunct in 1961, the building was not used by American personnel until the opening of the interests section on September 1, 1977.[6][12] In 1963, Cuban President Fidel Castro ordered the confiscation of the complex, but action was never taken by the Cuban government, though it still claimed right to the property in 2012.[13]

During the period that the complex served as an interests section, the U.S. was represented by Switzerland, and the Swiss maintained both the embassy complex and its effects. Renovations were subsequently completed on the complex in 1997. The building was upgraded from an interests section, and returned to its original role as the American embassy in Cuba on July 20, 2015.[7][8][9][14]

On August 14, 2015, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry officially reopened the American embassy in Havana. Eight congressional lawmakers involved in the policy change also attended.[15][16][17] The three Marines who lowered the United States flag at the U.S. Embassy in Cuba 54 years ago presented another flag which was raised by the Marines presently assigned to the post.[18]

Notes

  1. ^ The U.S. and Cuba did not have bilateral diplomatic relations between 1961 and 2015. During this period, the U.S. diplomatic mission in Cuba operated under the auspices of the Embassy of Switzerland.

References

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  1. ^ a b http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/233108.htm
  2. ^ United States severs diplomatic relations with Cuba History.
  3. ^ "Obama moves to restore relations with Cuba". MSNBC. 2014-12-17.
  4. ^ "Obama opens doors to Cuba after 56 years". USA Today. 2014-12-17.
  5. ^ "U.S., Cuba restore ties after 50 years". Reuters. 2014-12-18.
  6. ^ a b c History of the U.S. Interests Section in Cuba. United States Department of State. Cite error: The named reference "state" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  7. ^ a b "U.S. and Cuba to announce embassy openings". CNN. 2015-06-30.
  8. ^ a b "U.S. and Cuba to reopen embassies". Politico. 2015-06-30.
  9. ^ a b "US proposes US, Cuba reopen embassies as of July 20: Havana". Business Insider. 2015-07-01.
  10. ^ "Cuban flag flies at embassy in Washington". USA Today. 2015-07-20.
  11. ^ "Re-establishment of Diplomatic Relations Between the United States and Cuba" (PDF). United States Department of State. 2015-07-20.
  12. ^ Talking to the Bearded Man: The Swiss Mandate to Represent U.S. Interests in Cuba, 1961–1977. Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies.
  13. ^ Havana’s New York Accent. New York Times.
  14. ^ "U.S. and Cuba Reopen Long-Closed Embassies". New York Times. 2015-07-20.
  15. ^ http://globalnews.ca/news/2165325/john-kerry-flies-to-cuba-to-raise-flag-at-newly-opened-u-s-embassy/
  16. ^ http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/14/politics/cuba-embassy-opening-john-kerry-visit/
  17. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2015/08/14/cuba-congressional-delegation-who-traveled-with-john-kerry-to-havana/
  18. ^ Gordon, Michael (14 August 2015). "Kerry Strikes Delicate Balance in Havana Trip for Embassy Flag-Raising". New York TImes. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
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