The Cuban display includes a swastika

The Cuban display includes images of Iraqis at the Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad, and the word "fascists".

Cuba complained earlier this week to the US mission about its decorations which included a reference to 75 Cuban dissidents jailed last year.

The US says the decorations will remain in place until the end of the holidays.

Cuba's most senior US diplomat, James Cason, said earlier this week any action taken by Cuba against US personnel or the US mission in Havana would not affect his government's determination to draw attention to human rights.

Clampdown

The display at the US interests section

The US says it wants to draw attention to human rights

- so-called because the US and Cuba do not have diplomatic relations - includes a huge white Santa Claus, an image of galloping reindeer and a flashing sign wishing Cubans a Happy Christmas.

A large figure 75 is picked out in neon, inside a large circle.

Fourteen dissidents have been freed since the arrests took place in March 2003, in a major clampdown on political dissent.