Washington.— In a letter to the Editor published by the Washington Post, rebutting that paper's July 27 editorial Brain trauma on the 'friendly island', the Cuban ambassador noted that after much speculation and little cooperation, the U.S. government failed to explain to Congress or the public "what happened" to its diplomats.

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Despite the bad press, Havana remains safe for diplomats
Letter by José Ramón Cabañas, Cuban ambassador to the United States, to the Letters to the Editor's Washington Post opinion section.

He added that the medical journal JAMA's work did not establish brain damage. Rather, it refers to "brain differences," possibly attributable to common preexisting conditions, according to U.S., Cuban and international experts.

Ambassador Cabañas added that the only way to clarify the diplomats' health status is through transparent, scientific discussion, and that the Cuban medical team's invitation to continue the scientific dialogue, extended during the only bilateral meeting held on the matter September 2018 in Washington, remains unanswered.

The Cuban diplomat recalled that specialized agencies, including the FBI and Cuban criminal investigational counterparts, have agreed there is no evidence of any attack or act against diplomats in Havana.

"There is no reason to shut down the consular services, paralyze bilateral cooperation, expel Cuban diplomats, issue deceitful travel alerts or other unfair measures. Such measures come with a high humanitarian cost for Cubans and affect Americans as well," wrote Cabañas.

In concluding his letter to the Washington Post, the ambassador said that Cuba asks the U.S. government to stop using this issue as a pretext to impose more unilateral coercive measures against the island's integrity, economy and people.

"Cuba will remain a safe country for U.S. and any other country's diplomats, its own citizens, foreign residents and millions of travelers," he said. (RHC)

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