U.S. Embassy reduces in-person services; Belarus suspends flights amid fuel shortages and diplomats report harassment

Radio Martí reported that the U.S. Embassy in Havana announced reduced in-person consular hours to conserve fuel: the mission will operate regular on-site services only Tuesday through Thursday, while Mondays and Fridays will be reserved for emergencies involving U.S. citizens, the broadcast said.

The program said consular interviews and passport services scheduled for the affected days will be reprogrammed and that applicants will be contacted directly by the embassy. The report quoted a statement that asked citizens not to call the embassy for additional details and said affected applicants would receive information about new appointments.

Separately, the broadcast cited an announcement by Belarus that it had indefinitely suspended flights to Cuba because of aviation fuel shortages; the report said Belarusian authorities guaranteed the return of Belarusian nationals already in Cuba via special flights through Moscow.

Radio Martí also relayed a message from a U.S. official condemning harassment of the chargé d’affaires, Mike Hammer, while he was traveling in the island’s interior. The report named a U.S. official (transcribed as Christopher Landóws) who said the identities of the harassers are known and warned of visa consequences for those responsible.

The broadcast placed these developments in the context of wider transport and energy shortages affecting Cuba and included commentary from a Cuban-American congressman, Carlos Jiménez, who argued for tougher sanctions and international pressure on the Cuban government.