The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba, Bruno Rodriguez, apologized to the family of Faraj Allah Jarjour, whose body has still not been found.
It was in a message published on X that the minister presented a public apology to the bereaved relatives. “I sent my apologies and condolences to the family of the deceased,” he said.
According to Global Affairs Canada, he also agreed to reimburse the costs of the repatriation service to the family. In total, Faraj Allah Jarjour’s relatives had to pay a sum of $10,000 to ensure the transport of the body.
“We welcome the Cuban government’s strong commitment to rectifying this extremely unfortunate situation as soon as possible,” said Global Affairs Canada spokesperson Jason Kung. Canadian consular services were fully mobilized in this case. Global Affairs Canada will remain in close contact with Cuban authorities and continue to provide consular support to the family. »
An investigation by the authorities is underway in order to lift the veil on this affair “as quickly as possible,” said the Cuban minister.
For its part, the Cuban embassy in Canada also expressed itself on the social network, declaring to express “its regrets regarding the regrettable incident linked to the transfer of the mortal remains of a Canadian citizen who recently died in our country. »
According to Global Affairs Canada, some of the department’s representatives also met with Cuba’s ambassador to Canada, Rodrigo Malmierca Díaz. “Minister Joly spoke with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, Bruno Rodriguez, to discuss the situation,” added the ministry.
In a message, also published on the social network X, Mélanie Joly claims to have spoken with those close to Faraj Allah Jarjour. “Canada will continue to help the Jarjour family until this situation is resolved,” she said on the platform. An exchange eagerly awaited by the family.
A mysterious disappearance
The body of Faraj Allah Jarjour has not been seen by his relatives since a vehicle transported him to a hospital in Havana last month. The 68-year-old man, then on vacation with his family in Cuba, had died a few hours earlier of natural causes.
It was much later, when the funeral home contacted them, that the sixty-year-old’s relatives realized that their father’s body had been accidentally exchanged with that of another man, of Russian nationality. He was quickly able to be sent home.
Since then, on the side of Faraj Allah Jarjour’s body, nothing more. ” Where is he ? Is he in Cuba? Isn’t he in Cuba? We don’t know,” her daughter protested.
For the young woman, it is possible that the body was burned. The investigation by the Cuban authorities should make it possible to learn more.