Toronto man detained in Cuba after flying drone
Vacationer says authorities believed he was a spy
As Chris Hughes lay in the dark twoby-two-metre cell, with no electricity, a small hole in the wall for a window and just a hole in the ground for a toilet, he wondered if his wife, Grace, and three young children knew he was still alive.
“Nobody knew I was there,” he said. “I had disappeared. I thought, my family must think I’m dead.”
On Sept. 30, a few days before the Canadian man found himself in a Cuban detention centre, Hughes had flown a drone above the Plaza de la Revolucion in Havana.
A photographer with a media business in Toronto, Hughes said he had been travelling through the Americas. He had brought a drone with him, which he used to shoot photos and videos. He said he had no problems bringing it in through Cuban customs on Sept. 28.
But two days later, the drone proved to be a significant problem.
Hughes said he and a Cuban friend and tour guide were questioned by police about the drone at the Plaza de la Revolucion, a historic square home to the Cuban administration. The pair was taken to a police station, where Hughes said they were interrogated for about 12 hours.
He said he was brought to his rental apartment to pick up his clothes and then brought to a detention centre, where he would remain for nearly two weeks — without ever being charged.
Global Affairs confirmed that consular officials at Canada’s embassy in Havana provided services to a detained Canadian. “To protect the privacy of the individual concerned, further details on this case cannot be released,” Global Affairs spokes- person Austin Jean said in an email.
The Star reached out to the Policia Nacional Revolucionaria office near the plaza, but was referred to a Havana-based immigration office. A receptionist at that number told the Star police were “not to give any information by phone.”
Hughes said he was held at what appeared to be an immigration detention centre and was again interviewed by Cuban authorities. Based on the questions, he believes Cuban authorities thought he was a spy.
After Hughes’ wife hadn’t heard from him in three days, she decided to alert the Canadian embassy. She said they were able to locate him after making contact with the family of his Cuban companion.
She then paid for Orlando Ismael — a friend and project manager of Hughes’ business — to fly from Canada to Cuba to try to find answers.
Ismael, who arrived in Havana on Oct. 6, said officials at the detention centre confirmed Hughes was there and that he was arrested for flying a drone in the square. Although he briefly saw Hughes, Ismael was not able to speak with him at length.
Hughes said that the fifth or sixth day of his detention — “I didn’t know exactly how long I’d been there” — he was able to meet with a woman from the Canadian Embassy.
But it wasn’t all good news; he said she told him the government had to let the investigation play out. “The investigator had told me that if I’m found guilty on any level, or if they find out I’m working with the American government, that I’ll spend the rest of my life in jail,” Hughes said.
On Oct. 11, Hughes said he was informed that the next morning he would be on an 8 a.m. flight back to Toronto. The next day, he was at Pearson airport, being embraced by his family.
“This whole thing felt like something out of a movie,” his wife said.
Although it was harrowing, Hughes said he understands why he was detained and doesn’t begrudge Cuban authorities. He plans to revisit one day and said authorities told him he was welcome to return.