Cuba criticizes diplomatic downsizing over envoy medical issues

Ambassador calls Canada’s reduction ‘incomprehensible’

OTTAWA— Cuba is criticizing Canada’s decision to downsize its diplomatic presence in the country, following confirmation that yet another diplomat is suffering health problems, calling the move “incomprehensible.”

Josefina Vidal, Cuba’s ambassador to Canada, said the decision announced Wednesday will “impact” relations between the two countries and do nothing to help solve the ongoing mystery of what is causing Canadians and Americans to fall ill.

Global Affairs is looking at reducing its staff in Havana by half — to eight from 16 — after a diplomat who arrived in Cuba last summer reported health problems in late December. Testing confirmed symptoms similar to those reported by other government workers, bringing to 14 the number of confirmed cases.

The latest case suggests that the cause of the ailments remains a threat, prompting the decision to remove some diplomatic staff from Cuba, an official told reporters on Wednesday.

Canada and the U.S. have been struggling to pinpoint why diplomats of both nations in Havana have been hit with concussion-like symptoms, such as dizziness, headaches, hearing and visual problems and fatigue.

An RCMP-led investigation has not yet turned up a potential cause or culprit.

But Canadians have gone out of their way to praise the cooperation of Cuba officials, seeking to minimize any diplomatic fallout or suggestions of finger-pointing.

The Cuban embassy said Vidal was not available for an interview.

But in her statement, she said the Cuban government has worked with the Canadians on the case.

“It has requested information and has provided all evidence available; and has put at their disposal the best Cuban experts in the most diverse fields,” she said.

Still, Vidal’s statement indicates that this latest downsizing by Canada — it had already ordered family members out of the country in April — has irritated Cuban officials, who say they have no proof there’s even a threat. And Cuba disputes the assertions of Canadian and American doctors that the affected diplomats have suffered some form of a brain injury.

“It has become clear that there is no evidence that might reveal any brain damage, or that may explain the varied symptoms reported, or that may indicate that these symptoms had occurred due to the stay of the affected diplomats in Cuba,” Vidal said.

“The symptoms reported are varied, with a common denom- inator which is that they are difficult to measure or verify through technical means,” she said. Washington has struck a much harsher tone than Canada in the matter. It has branded the incidents as an “attack” and in September 2017 reduced its embassy to essential personnel only.

U.S. President Donald Trump has reversed some of the changes to travel and trade introduced by his predecessor Barack Obama to ease America’s economic embargo on Cuba.

The ongoing mystery around ailing diplomats has only added to the tensions between the two countries.

Vidal said that Canada’s decision only fuels those tensions.