‘INFLUENCE OPERATIONS’

U.S. Expels Two Cuban Diplomats Ahead of United Nations General Assembly

The rest of Cuba's U.N. mission will be restricted to Manhattan after the State Department said the diplomats tried to “conduct influence operations.”

The U.S. is expelling two Cuban diplomats and restricting the travel capabilities of members of Cuba's permanent mission to the United Nations days before world leaders are due to flock to New York for the United Nations General Assembly. According to the Associated Press, State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said the two diplomats—who are also members of Cuba's U.N. mission—attempted to “conduct influence operations against the United States.” The State Department provided no other details, nor the names of the diplomats involved in the alleged influence operations. The remaining members of Cuba's U.N. mission won't be able to leave the island of Manhattan. The mission has yet to comment publicly on the matter. The U.N. General Assembly opened on Sept. 17, but high-level general debate is slated to start early next week.