We hereby reproduce a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba.
The Government of Canada has taken the decision to designate its Embassy in Havana as an unaccompanied family mission; as a result, it has been stated, of the symptoms of health problems reported by some of its diplomats in 2017.
Cuba ratifies that, after a rigorous investigation carried out by a group of highly qualified experts, no evidence has been found to explain the sufferings reported by Canadian diplomats, nor any indication that any attack or incident of any kind has occurred on Cuban territory, or that the symptoms reported are associated with acoustic or other actions carried out by any person or group of persons against others.
According to the Canadian government’s statement, there have been no reports of new incidents in the last six months, the cause remains unknown, there is no evidence to suggest that Canadian travelers to Cuba are at risk, and studies of the environment do not point to any cause that can be identified, all of which is consistent with the observations of Cuban experts.
The Cuban Government respects the decision taken by the Government of Canada but considers it unjustified. It reaffirms with all responsibility that Cuba is a safe, stable and healthy country, for its inhabitants and for the almost five million foreigners who visit it every year, among them more than one million Canadians, and where the protection of the diplomatic personnel of all countries is guaranteed.
Cuba will continue to work constructively with the Government of Canada, as it has done so far, in close communication through diplomatic channels, through cooperation among relevant law enforcement agencies and with the support of high-level experts in order to find conclusive explanations for the reported sufferings. To this end, it reiterates the invitation to medical specialists from Cuba and Canada to exchange information on the basis of the most rigorous respect for the personal privacy of the persons concerned.