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
- 1:582024環球小姐取消年齡上限 阿根廷60歲佳麗驚歎出線 爭取為國爭光Yahoo 國際通82,257 次觀看・20 小時前
- 2:44北京電動車展登場 中國品牌「內卷」大戰 117款新車首度亮相Yahoo 國際通17,631 次觀看・16 小時前
- 1:33日本明星公河馬是「女兒身」 天王寺動物園養七年才發現Yahoo 國際通33,791 次觀看・1 天前
- 0:28荃灣華人永遠墳場護土牆倒塌now.com 影音新聞385 次觀看・9 小時前
- 1:38西澳再發生鯨魚大規模擱淺 直擊140頭鯨魚海灘掙扎求生、26頭已死亡Yahoo 國際通40,420 次觀看・1 天前
- 0:40公立醫院去年第四季呈報11宗醫療風險警示事件now.com 影音新聞3,510 次觀看・9 小時前
- 0:40北約秘書長體親身驗歐洲戰鬥機Newsvia2,049 次觀看・7 小時前
- 0:35警方4月檢市值3800萬元毒品 拘50男11女now.com 影音新聞36,828 次觀看・14 小時前
- 0:58紙餐具被指易孳生昆蟲 供應商估計運輸或儲存不當所致now.com 影音新聞6,197 次觀看・17 小時前
- 1:11直擊漢莎航空班機「觸地重飛」 重重落地即刻拉升超驚險Yahoo 國際通61,096 次觀看・2 天前
熱門必看
- 4:48謝雅兒《填詞魂》|Yahoo Lunch KYahoo OMG Videos62,592 次觀看・1 天前
- 4:21謝雅兒 X 吳嘉禧Cheronna《路徑》(原唱:雷同二友)|Yahoo Lunch KYahoo OMG Videos13,198 次觀看・1 天前
- 4:37謝雅兒《某種老朋友》(原唱:林家謙)|Yahoo Lunch KYahoo OMG Videos14,066 次觀看・1 天前
- 【Yahoo Lunch K】《填詞L》謝雅兒靠堅持奪金像獎「最佳電影原創歌曲」 親臨分享內心「填詞魂」Yahoo LIVE HK25,959 次觀看・1 天前
- 1:07自助餐優惠|實測九龍海逸君綽酒店全新櫻花自助餐!79折起任食炆鮑魚/三文魚籽/薑蔥炒龍蝦(有片)Yahoo Video HK92,852 次觀看・1 天前