Cuba Slams Accusations of High U.S. Official

Cuba described as irresponsible the statements of the Deputy Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Francisco Palmieri regarding the alleged health incidents by Washington diplomats in Havana.

The Director General of the United States at the Ministry of Foreign Relations (Minrex) of the island, Josefina Vidal, said that for the Cuban Government are also unacceptable and do not have any real base the arguments of that official in the audience held this Tuesday in the Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate.

According to Vidal, the meeting in that legislative panel, organized by Republican Senator Marco Rubio and his Democrat colleague Robert Menendez, the great victim was truth and constituted an additional sample of total lack of scruples and credibility of both those legislators, recognized for their political agenda destined for many years to lead both our countries to confrontation.

The Cuban official categorically stressed that the Cuban authorities have no responsibility whatsoever in thehealth problems reported by U.S. diplomats, after saying that Cuba has never perpetrated or will do harm, has never allowed nor will ever allow that third parties act against the physical integrity of any foreign service representative, without exception.

The State Department has no evidence that allows it to assert there were attacks against its diplomats in Havana, nor that Cuba could be responsible or know about those actions, she added.

Vidal also rejected the politization of this issue and the unjustifgied measures adopted by the White House with a high cost for Cuban emigration and the population of the greater Antilles in general.

A recent report of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) confirmed that in their multiple trips to Havana, their agents did not find any proof of the mysterious illnesses that result from those alleged ‘attacks’, as U.S. authorities name them and which served as preterxt to deteriorate the approach with the Antillean nation.

Thus was also recognized by Republican Senator for Arizona, Jeff Flake, who met last Friday with FM Bruno Rodriguez.

In statements to reporters, the also member of the Foreign Relations Commission of the high Chamber, affirmed on that occasion that U.S. authorities do not have evidence that the diplomats had been victims of attacks with an unknown weapon.

The story of diplomats having suffered migraine, dizziness, loss of hearing and slight brain lessions during their work in Cuba, as it was published by the media last August, but the first of the supposed incidents goes back to November, 2016 and the last wasd a few months back.

At the end of September, the Department of State ordered the withdrawal of 60 percent of its personnel in Cuba and a little later the White House announced measures restricting individual trips to the island, approved during the government of president Barack Obama (2009-2017).

FBI Finds No Evidence of “Sonic Attacks” in Cuba

Following months of investigations and four visits to the island the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has uncovered no evidence of the alleged “sonic attacks” against U.S. diplomatic personnel in Cuba, according to a January 8 article by Associated Press (AP).

In the article AP cites an unreleased interim report from the bureau’s Operational Technology Division, dated January 4.

According to the news outlet, “The probe has uncovered no evidence that sound waves could have damaged the Americans’ health.”

The results of the FBI investigation coincide with those of the Committee of Cuban experts after senior government officials ordered a thorough investigation into the alleged incidents.

Ever since reports of health issue related to U.S. personnel emerged the Cuban government has categorically stated that its territory has never, nor will it ever, be used to harm accredited diplomatic personnel on the island or their families.

Despite a lack of clarity surrounding the case, Washington took unilateral steps withdrawing the majority of its diplomats from the island – practically paralyzing the visa processing system in Havana – and demanding the withdrawal of 17 Cuban officials from the island’s embassy in Washington.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, speaking to AP, confirmed that the U.S. government has no plans to send its diplomats back to Havana because the United States would be “putting people intentionally in harm’s way.”

Likewise, Florida Senator Marco Rubio – who has been trying to manipulate the case to reverse the few advances made in bilateral relations between the two countries – is set to hold a Senate hearing on the alleged attacks this January 9.

However, Jeff Flake, also a Republican Senator, speaking in Havana January 6 stated that there is no reason to doubt the Cuban government’s position, adding that there is no evidence of the involvement of the Cuban government in any of the reports he has seen. (Taken from en.granma.cu).