But by law, the department can only order diplomats to leave for six months before either sending them back or making the reductions permanent. With fewer employees on hand, the U.S. Embassy in Havana halted visa processing, forcing Cubans who wish to visit the United States to seek visas through U.S. embassies in other countries. “We still do not have definitive answers on the source or cause of the attacks, and an investigation into the attacks is ongoing,” the department said. Cuba has repeatedly denied either involvement in or knowledge of any attacks, and has said its own investigation into the illnesses has turned up no evidence of deliberate action. But Tillerson has said he’s still convinced the diplomats were hit by deliberate, specific attacks targeting their health.

Source: National Post March 02, 2018 16:53 UTC