Georgetown, May 13, 2020. The President of the Cuban Solidarity Movement with Guyana (GCSM) Halim Khan condemns the terrorist attack at the Cuban Embassy in Washington, damaging the building but without causing injury. The suspect was identified as 42-year-old Alexander Alazo of Aubrey, Texas.
While the suspect was arrested by Washington police, the investigation also includes the Secret Service, which is involved in assuring the security of foreign diplomats and embassies.
“This morning at approximately 2:15 am, US Secret Service officers responded to the Embassy of Cuba following reports of shots fired,” the Secret Service said in a statement. “One individual was arrested for being in possession of an unregistered firearm as well as unregistered ammunition, assault with the intent to kill, and possession of a high capacity feed device.”
There was no motive given for the attack.
According to Khan, such “terrorist aggression” against the Embassy in Washington shows that Cuba continues to endure mistreatment and sanctions initiated by the US since the embargos began in the 1960’s.
Khan explains that before Fidel Castro came to power in 1959, an enormous percentage of the Cuban economy was under the control of U.S. corporations. U.S. companies even dominated the island’s utilities and railroads. They also controlled a significant portion of its natural resources, including its sugar, cattle, tobacco, timber, oil, mining, and farm industries.
The GCSM President says that after the passage of six decades that saw the collapse of the Soviet Union, the end of the Cold War, and the passing of the torch by Fidel Castro to his brother Raul, it is clear to all parties that the trade embargo did not achieve its purpose.
The administration of President Donald Trump has chilled relations with Havana, reversing course after an opening initiated by his predecessor Barack Obama. In October 2017, Trump expelled 15 Cuban diplomats after a rash of incidents in which US embassy staff in Cuba reported as yet unexplained head pains, dizziness, and hearing loss.