The mission resumed its role as the Embassy of the United States in Cuba on July 20, 2015, following the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The US broke diplomatic relations with Cuba on January 3, 1961, formally due to a disagreement about staffing levels at the respective embassies.

US Foreign Service Officers and Marine Guards replaced the Swiss personnel operating out of the US Interests Section in Havana on September 1, 1977.

Both the Swiss and later with US staff, occupied the former United States Embassy building on Havana's Malecon which was designed by Harrison & Abramovitz architects and originally entered into service in 1953.

The initial American staffing of the Section consisted of ten State Department Officials and a plain clothes US Marine guard detachment.

After the initial bloom, bilateral relations deteriorated almost immediately as the extent of Cuban military involvement in Angola became clear to Washington.

One issue not resolved was the repatriation of valuables including art and coin collections, exiting citizens had deposited with the Swiss with the knowledge of the USG.

President Castro went personally to the airport to manage the June 12, 1979, hijacking incident involving Delta Air Lines flight 1061, a Lockheed L-1011 Tristar piloted by Captain Vince Doda.

Through Holladay, Castro assured the US Government that Cuba would adhere to the terms of the bilateral anti-hijacking agreement even though it was in suspension due to disagreements over US handling of Cuban boatjackers.

The Cubans released the first tranche and an initial high-profile group, including Polita Grau and Tony Cuesta was moved to the US expeditiously.

A large band of ex political prisoners with permission to leave and no place to go made daily rounds of the Embassies of Venezuela and Spain, as well as the US Interests Section, in search of visas.

In that case the crisis was disarmed with the establishment of a formal orderly program to screen applicants and airlift the emigrants to the US.

Large groups entered diplomatic compounds by jumping from adjacent buildings and by ramming gates and perimeter fences with buses and trucks.

A junior Consular Officer, Susan Johnson, was accused of inciting the crowd on national TV and in Granma.

In the late 1990s, there was a billboard facing USINT with a cartoon revolutionary shouting to Uncle Sam "Señores Imperialistas ¡No les tenemos absolutamente ningún miedo!"

The US Interests Section became a focus of anti-government propaganda with the Cuban government when James Cason became head of mission in 2002.

In March 2003, approximately 75 dissidents were jailed by the Cuban authorities for allegedly receiving unlawful payments from the Interests Section.

The grounds of the USINT Havana featured an annual Christmas display – including a Santa Claus, a Frosty the Snowman, and a sleigh.

"[9] Following a protest march, the Cuban government erected a large number of poles, carrying black flags with single white stars, obscuring the messages.