A challenging facelift for U.S. embassy in Havana
STORY: For a long time the corroded railings around the U.S. embassy on Havana's seafront matched the terse relations between Americans and their Cuban host.
Now the years of neglect - on both counts - are being addressed, in part thanks to a $28 million renovation project.
But not without a few diplomatic challenges along the way according to Benjamin Ziff, the top U.S. diplomat in Cuba.
"This was complicated as well by the Cuban visa policy which was a single-entry visa, so technicians or contractors coming in, if he or she broke a saw blade they'd have to return to the United States to procure another saw blade and then apply for a new visa which could take two months. So, you could see how difficult this process was, even when you could bring people in."
Some of those issues have now been resolved - particularly around worker visas - to be replaced by others.
But Ziff still sees the refurb as critical investment in U.S. diplomacy on the island.
“The important thing to realize about diplomacy is that is not only policy, it's logistics. You need to have a presence; you'd have people you need to have a building you need to have an installation to be able to do diplomacy effectively, and we are on the Malecon, we are in front of the sea which has its own effects on the building.”
Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro, often alleged the embassy was a hotbed of spies aiming to overthrow his government.
That was not the motivation when it was built in 1953 in the wake of World War Two, according to architectural historian Jane Loeffler.
“There was great enthusiasm for the United Nations building in New York and the idea of what it symbolized and it happens that the architects for that building were (Wallace) Harrison and (Max) Abramovitz and they were the same architects who went on to design Havana and Rio for the State Department. And this was the impetus for this program and Havana was just one of the very first buildings that the State Department built.”
The building operated for years as the "U.S. Interests Section," before reopening as an embassy in July 2015 when diplomatic relations were restored under Barack Obama.
But its staffing was cut sharply two years later after staff began to report a mysterious ailment dubbed "Havana Syndrome."
The Cuban government did not respond to a request for comment to this story, but some Havana residents have applauded the embassy overhaul.
“I work in front of the embassy. I have seen part of the restoration process they have done, inside and out. I think it is important because this is one of the most important embassies in our country. Many Cubans visit it so we can leave, to travel abroad. I think it needs to look good so it’s in perfect conditions when it’s my turn to visit it.”
相關影片推薦
- 1:18美馬戲團大象逃脫 穿梭車陣民眾驚呼 馬路秒變野生動物園Yahoo奇摩(國際通)31,667 次觀看・1 天前
- 6:11強震來臨這3個縣市最危險 李鴻源曝災防都更因「票房毒藥」難行今天誰來沛238,724 次觀看・1 天前
- 1:53加拿大史上最大黃金盜竊案逮6人 加航「內鬼」偽造空運單 400公斤黃金恐已熔化售出Yahoo奇摩(國際通)37,033 次觀看・23 小時前
- 1:13柯建銘質詢一半突喊「我看不到」計時器 透露眼睛病變華視影音8,010 次觀看・1 天前
- 2:02英國女遊台南「喝全糖珍奶」 嚇壞驚呼:天大錯誤華視影音311,692 次觀看・1 天前
- 1:1126歲抗癌網紅因胃癌去世 生命最後5個月沒吃沒喝娛樂星聞58,792 次觀看・2 天前
- 1:15謝和弦不認偷吃陳芳語嗆前妻記錯人!自爆出軌對象是「她」秒遭Keanna打臉娛樂星聞12,933 次觀看・16 小時前
- 23:55台積電法說會登場 投資人關心加碼美國新廠風險 但面對拜登和川普搶當美國保護主義隊長 川普幕僚密謀促貶美元 拜登祭301調查要提高中國商品關稅 台積電等於買了保險|鏡轉全球 #鏡鏡新聞986 次觀看・18 小時前
- 1:17情侶吵架「氣到跳車」 女友摔翻滾5圈慘死|#鏡新聞鏡新聞2,107 次觀看・1 天前
- 1:41土耳其「身障狗狗列車」出動 天天載毛孩外出兜風、感受世界風光Yahoo奇摩(國際通)62,773 次觀看・23 小時前