Molotov Cocktail Thrown at Cuban Embassy in Washington

Facts

• The Cuban embassy in the US capital of Washington was attacked on Sunday night by an assailant who threw a Molotov cocktail at the building, the US Secret Service announced on Monday.¹
• There was reportedly no resultant fire or significant damage to the building, nor were there any reports of staff members suffering injuries.²
• No suspects are currently in custody, though the Secret Service, DC Police, and the State Department say investigations into the attack are ongoing.³
• Following the incident, Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla blamed anti-Cuban groups who, he said, 'resort to terrorism when feeling they enjoy impunity.' Parrilla also labelled the event a terrorist attack.⁴
• The incident happened just hours after Cuban Pres. Miguel Díaz-Canel returned to his native island after participating in the 78th UN General Assembly in New York City.⁵
• This is the second attack against the Cuban Embassy in Washington since 2020 — the building reopened in 2015 after Cuba and the US restored diplomatic ties that had been severed since 1961.⁶

Sources: ¹Newsmax, ²USA Today, ³The Hill, ⁴Forbes, ⁵Reuters and ⁶Bloomberg.

Narratives

• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by teleSUR English. Yet again, Cuba's diplomatic mission in the US has suffered a terror attack that could have claimed innocent lives. Given that a sense of impunity fostered by US indifference to Havana has emboldened anti-Cuban groups to resort to such actions, it's crucial that Washington not only investigates this incident but also takes the island off its state sponsors of terrorism list.
• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by The Washington Times. It's unlikely that anyone apart from Alexander Alazo — who was accused of opening fire against the Cuban embassy in 2020 — could've believed it would be possible to get away with a terror attack like this. Although he is continuing to pursue an insanity defense for the multiple federal charges he faces, US law enforcement will ensure that the assailant is, this time, brought to justice.

Predictions