Cuba confirms there are no evidences of sonic attacks

Cuban experts confirm on Thursday in a special TV program broadcasted nationwide that after some experts’ works and environmental researches, there are no evidences of the allegedly sonic attacks suffered by the U.S. diplomats in Cuba.

Lt. Colonel Francisco Estrada Portales detailed some of the actions carried out, like a sample analysis, the conducting of experts’ opinions on the samples given by the U.S., among others, without finding cause responsible of the alleged incidents.

Estrada Portales questioned that the head of security of the American delegation in Cuba, when asked about the incidents occurred that same day when they notified the island back in February, he said he had no knowledge on the subject. Nonetheless, he became later one of the alleged victims.

In the words of the officer of the Ministry of the Interior in Cuba, member of the experts’ team investigating the accusation, the information provided by the U.S. on the incidents came really late and biased. Such information has hampered the law-enforcement actions by not allowing access to the facilities where those incidents took place.

He said that U.S. diplomats really appreciate the safety measures implemented by the Cuban security and they have even requested the continuance of such protection.

In the audiovisual material, broadcasted by the national television in prime time, it was confirmed that no Cuban citizens went to the hospital with symptoms or ailments linked to the ones described by the Americans.

After interviewing the neighbors of the diplomats and carrying out medical examinations to them, no possible causes were detected.

The hearing tests were negative for acoustic trauma and it is of high significance that none of the neighbors presented symptoms, confirmed Dr. Alida Suarez.

There are no evidences of this sort of attack in Cuba or the necessary technology to cause such severe acoustic damage.

There is no credible explanation for the variety of symptoms described: severe headache, dizziness and permanent hearing loss, cognitive impairment, brain damages, and trouble remembering words, highlighted the experts interviewed.

These experts denied the application of physical laws in any of the hypothesis discussed.

Lt. Colonel Juan Carlos Molina Campos, telecommunication expert, claimed that after verifying the evidenced provided by the U.S. side, they do not show actual causes of sonic attacks.

The first of the allegedly incidents dated back to November 2016 and the last one just few weeks ago. But it was only in August, nine months later, that the case was revealed.

Under the pretext of national security issues due to the alleged attacks, the U.S. withdrew 60% of its personnel of the U.S. Embassy in Havana last months and expelled 15 Cuban officials from Washington. Cuba described the situation as politicized.

Bruno Rodriguez Parrila, minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba, urged the U.S. authorities a few weeks ago to stop politicizing this subject. He also warned this issue could trigger an unpleasant surge and pulled back bilateral relations, already affected by the announcement of a new policy carried out by President Donald Trump.

As accepted by the spokesperson of the State Department, Heather Nauert, the real fact is that it is still unknown the author of this incident. Therefore, this is an ongoing investigation in the U.S. and Cuba.

There are no precedents of this sort of event in Cuba not even in times of higher degree of tension with the U.S., she pointed out. Cuba takes very seriously its responsibility in the protection of diplomats in accordance to the 1961 Vienna Convention, which standardizes this practice.

Cuba has been victim of terrorist attacks against its diplomats in the past. Its personnel have been killed, disappeared, hijacked, or attacked in the course of their duties. That is why Cuba focused greatly on the integrity of foreign certified officers boasting a clean record, noted the audiovisual Las Razones de Cuba.

Translated by Sergio A. Paneque Diaz / CubaSi Translation Staff