The U.S. State Department accused Cuba on Feb. 1 of disrupting the work of U.S. Charge d'Affaires Mike Hammer after small groups heckled him during meetings outside Havana, calling the actions "failed intimidation tactics." Video released by the U.S. Embassy shows protesters shouting insults during nighttime blackouts, though Reuters could not identify those involved and Cuba has not commented on the clips. The episode comes amid rising tensions after President Trump labeled Cuba a national-security threat and threatened tariffs on nations supplying oil to the island.
U.S. Accuses Cuba Of Disrupting Diplomatic Work After Mike Hammer Is Heckled
FILE PHOTO: Mike Hammer, the U.S. Charge d'Affaires to Cuba, attends a commemorative Mass for late Cuban salsa singer Celia Cruz at the Our Lady of Charity Church in Havana, Cuba October 21, 2025. REUTERS/Norlys Perez/File Photo
HAVANA, Feb. 1 (Reuters) — The U.S. State Department on Sunday publicly accused Cuba of interfering with the duties of its senior diplomat in Havana after small groups of people heckled him during meetings with community members and church representatives outside the capital.
State Department Condemns 'Failed Intimidation Tactics'
On social media, the State Department called the episodes "failed intimidation tactics" and demanded that Havana stop "sending individuals to interfere with the diplomatic work" of U.S. Charge d'Affaires Mike Hammer. The U.S. Embassy released video footage showing the confrontations and denied Cuban allegations that Hammer's conduct was interventionist.
"When I left the parish, a few communists, surely frustrated by how bad the revolution is going, shouted obscenities at me," Hammer said in a video posted after a meeting with local church leaders.
Videos Show Small Groups Taunting Diplomat
Additional clips circulated showing small groups in two locations, during nighttime blackouts, shouting insults such as "Assassin!" and "Imperialist!" Reuters was unable to independently identify the people in the videos, and Cuba's government has not publicly commented on those specific clips.
Last year, Cuba's foreign ministry lodged a complaint accusing Hammer of "interventionist" behavior and alleging he encouraged actions against the state; the U.S. Embassy has rejected those claims and said Hammer is simply carrying out official duties.
Broader Tensions Between Washington And Havana
The incident comes amid heightened tensions between the two longtime adversaries. U.S. President Donald Trump last week described Cuba as "an unusual and extraordinary threat" to U.S. national security and threatened tariffs on countries that supply oil to the island nation. Trump also called Cuba "a failing nation" while saying he hoped a deal with Cuba could be possible.
The bilateral dispute dates back to Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution, but a severe economic crisis on the island and increased pressure from the Trump administration have intensified the confrontation in recent weeks.
(Additional reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt in Palm Beach, Florida; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
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