Cuban FM: “There is no evidence of sonic attacks on US diplomats.”

Cuban FM: “There is no evidence of sonic attacks on US diplomats.”
Fecha de publicación: 
4 November 2017
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“The decline in Cuba-U.S. relations has worsened as a result of the recent decisions of the US government”, asserted in Washington Cuban FM Bruno Rodriguez.

At a press conference, Rodriguez criticized Washington’s decisions to substantially reduce the staff of its embassy in Havana, and to unfoundedly expel 17 officials of the Cuban mission here.

“Such steps, under the pretext of alleged incidents with its diplomats, have aversively affected the operation of the Cuban embassy, particularly of the Economic-Commercial Office, which was dismantled, and the Consulate, whose staff situation is difficult”, the minister stated.

“What is the aim behind this decision that has left the business sector without partner and has caused serious affectations on consular services to Cubans living in the United States?”, he asked.

He also asked about the purpose for the suspension of visa processing in the US Consulate in Havana, which paralyzed Cubans’ steps to emigrate or visit the neighboring nation.

Rodríguez pointed out that these decisions have been accompanied by repeated disrespectful and offensive pronouncements against his country by US President Donald Trump, “who retook the hostile rhetoric of the periods of greater confrontation.”

“Trump and senior officials of his administration have dared to claim that their diplomats in Havana have suffered attacks and directly blamed the Cuban government, when they have been unable to show the slightest evidence in this regard”, the FM remarked.

He pointed out that the measures adopted against the island are unjustified and politically motivated, because “they are not based on evidence or conclusive investigative results.”

The foreign minister of the Caribbean nation criticized the lack of collaboration of US authorities in these events, which the Donald Trump administration describes as attacks without showing any evidence on them.

“Why were the incidents reported so late, most of them weeks and months after the alleged attacks happened? Why has the information provided by U.S. been extemporaneous and insufficient?”, asked the head of diplomacy of the Antillean nation.

Rodríguez also said that the medical information provided to Cuba has been general and lacks objective data, as well as that there have been no meetings among experts from the two countries on the technology that could allegedly been used.

The Cuban official noted that despite these and other insufficiencies, the authorities of the Caribbean country continue the investigation and preliminarily concluded there does not exist evidence of the occurrence of the alleged incidents, nor the causes or origin of the health conditions notified by the diplomats and their relatives.

'There is also no evidence that these health problems have been caused by an attack of any nature during their stay in Cuba”, remarked the foreign minister on the symptoms that, according to the US Department of State, include migraine, dizziness, hearing loss and mild brain injuries.”

According to the minister, it is highly striking that the US government is still talking about attacks and acoustic attacks” and takes punitive measures against Cuba, when it is expertly demonstrated that such events are not possible.

“The diversity of the reported symptoms cannot be associated with a single cause and there is no known technology that allows targeting a sound source selectively against specific people, without affecting others”, the minister added.

In responding a question from Prensa Latina, Rodríguez said Cuba is willing to continue the cooperation to investigate this sensitive issue and shares the concern over the health conditions that US diplomats may have.

“The Cuban government, he stressed, has no responsibility whatsoever in the incidents to have affected US diplomats.”

On the other hand, Rodríguez positively assessed the four exchanges held with representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), who, he added, have been provided with all facilities to work on the ground.

“Washington should stop politicizing this issue, which may cause an escalation and further roll back bilateral relations, with damaging consequences for both peoples and countries”, he stressed.

Translated by Jorge Mesa Benjamin / Cubasi Translation Staff

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