WASHINGTON _ Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is having a hurriedly arranged meeting Tuesday with his Cuban counterpart as the United States considers closing its embassy in Havana after mysterious ailments afflicted 21 U.S. diplomats there.
The late-day meeting comes at the request of Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, U.S. officials said. The Cuban government has professed to be as confounded by the illnesses as Washington is; the U.S. has suspected an attack, but one of still undetermined origin.
The attacks have been described as possible sonic waves or other high-pitched sound bombardments. The victims reported loss of hearing and dizziness, and two may have suffered minor brain damage.
Speculation has centered on possible rogue elements of the Cuban military or third parties, like Russia or Iran.
The injured people were removed from Cuba. The attacks apparently started in 2016, with the most recent one in August.
Ironically, the mysterious incident occurred as relations between Havana and Washington have improved.
Tillerson said a week ago that closing the embassy was "under evaluation." It had only been opened a year ago as the two countries normalized diplomatic ties after more than half a century.
Two Cuban diplomats were expelled from Washington in response to the illnesses. But the State Department says Havana has been cooperating with the investigation.
However, Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan expressed more skepticism, testifying before Congress on Tuesday that Cuban authorities must have at least known what was going on, given their tight surveillance of American diplomats.
It was not clear what information Rodriguez, the Cuban foreign minister, might be bringing.
"We'll have plenty of questions for them," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.
