In a recent post I considered two reports that were distributed at roughly the same time. (The
Affair of the Sonic Weapons Attack: Management, Containment and
Control--Microwave Weapons and the State Department Cuba Accountability
Review Board Report) The first was the the results of the State
Department's Cuba Accountability Review Board Report
made available on 30 August 2018. The second is the reporting of an
interview given by the lead investigator of the medical team that
examined 21 affected diplomats from Cuba to the effect that microwave weaponry remains the chief
suspect in the attacks widely reported on 1 September 2018.
Cuba's response--delivered through its Cuban Communist Party media organ, Granma, followed on September 3 Bertha Mojena Milián, Es imposible demostrar lo que no ocurrió y Estados Unidos lo sabe) (English version It is impossible to prove something that did not occur, and the U.S. knows it). The Cuban position remains the same: the United States has fabricated an attack from out of a tissue of lies. The formal response of the Cuban state was made by the Foreign Ministry through Carlos Fernández de Cossío, director de la Dirección general de Estados Unidos de la Cancillería cubana. For the Cuban State, he again rejected the validity of the "sonic weapons" version of the allegations, suggested that the assertions made by various American public and private organs were either impossible to prove or not proven by the evidence, and that, if the evidence proves anything it is that no "attacks" of any kind actually occurred.
More interesting is the amplification of Cuba's response through the English language version of its Communist Party media organ: Yisell Rodríguez Milán, How is a pretext for a cold war manufactured?, Granma (6 Sept. 2018), In it, the author builds a timeline of events to suggest the reason that Cuban offer as the reason for all the fuss--the need for an excuse to roll back normalization and to--again--seek to foment regime change in Cuba by other means.The insinuation, of course, is not just pretext, but something more nefarious and deceitful, as the fondation of policy or as a cover for otherwise unjustified acts.
More interesting is the amplification of Cuba's response through the English language version of its Communist Party media organ: Yisell Rodríguez Milán, How is a pretext for a cold war manufactured?, Granma (6 Sept. 2018), In it, the author builds a timeline of events to suggest the reason that Cuban offer as the reason for all the fuss--the need for an excuse to roll back normalization and to--again--seek to foment regime change in Cuba by other means.The insinuation, of course, is not just pretext, but something more nefarious and deceitful, as the fondation of policy or as a cover for otherwise unjustified acts.
A pretext is all that is needed to start a conflict, something with which the United States has experience, from the Spanish-American War, to Vietnam, Iraq… but its latest efforts to vilify Cuba are unique. Last year, the U.S. asserted that its diplomatic personnel in Cuba had been affected by “sonic attacks,” an accusation that has been developed in the media in an attempt to justify launching a Cold War. A timeline of events illustrates the current administration’s efforts to undermine the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The report of the more or less official response follows below (Español/English).
Es imposible demostrar lo que no ocurrió y Estados Unidos lo sabe
La agenda mediática para mantener a la opinión pública atenta a los polémicos y controversiales argumentos que se tejen una y otra vez sobre los supuestos «incidentes» contra diplomáticos norteamericanos en La Habana, parece estarse cumpliendo cabalmente cada vez que retoman el hilo de esta mentira.En declaraciones exclusivas a Granma, Carlos Fernández de Cossío, director de la Dirección general de Estados Unidos de la Cancillería cubana, aseguró que ni siquiera la teoría de las posibles afectaciones provocadas por «microondas» respalda la multiplicidad y diversidad de síntomas que según el Departamento de Estado han sufrido los supuestos afectados y a medida que pasa el tiempo, los hace perder más veracidad.
Ahora resulta que se reitera una de las viejas teorías, en la que se habla de posibles afectaciones provocadas por «microondas» y una publicación reciente del diario The New York Times hace referencia a nuevos testigos –sin nombres ni rostros– y hechos: vehículos que merodeaban las viviendas de los diplomáticos, desde los cuales «tal vez» o «posiblemente» se pudo haber emitido ondas que provocaran afectación cerebral.
En declaraciones exclusivas a Granma, Carlos Fernández de Cossío, director de la Dirección general de Estados Unidos de la Cancillería cubana, aseguró que ni siquiera esta teoría respalda la multiplicidad y diversidad de síntomas que según el Departamento de Estado han sufrido los supuestos afectados y a medida que pasa el tiempo, los hace perder más veracidad.
«Comenzaron por la teoría de ataques sónicos que no resistió el análisis de la comunidad científica y de la investigación policial realizada por ambos países. Acudieron entonces durante breve tiempo a la hipótesis de un ataque viral que fue desmontado por falta de sustento. Desde hace meses hablan de una contusión cerebral “sin que una contusión” haya tenido lugar y lo adjudican solo a cuatro de los diplomáticos», rememora Cossío.
Asegura el diplomático cubano que para esta última versión tampoco hay evidencias ni conclusiones apegadas a las ciencias que puedan sostenerse y por tanto, uno de esos medios de comunicación que desde los inicios está abordando el tema, ha sacado ahora la teoría de que pudieran ser «ondas» emitidas por microondas.
«Lo que sí se ha demostrado es lo que científicos de Cuba, Estados Unidos y otros países sostienen y que el Gobierno de la Isla está diciendo desde el principio, es que es falsa la existencia de ataques y eso lo sabe perfectamente el Gobierno norteamericano, porque ha tenido múltiples maneras de comprobarlo», reitera.
Recordó que en ningún momento ellos han permitido el acceso a las historias clínicas de los supuestos afectados ni han hecho referencia a padecimientos anteriores que pudieron haber tenido, ni han examinado las prácticas comunes de esas personas, que quizá podrían explicar en cierta medida los síntomas que según el Departamento de Estado se han reportado.
«No ha existido ni ataque ni acto deliberado contra ninguno de sus diplomáticos y el Departamento de Estado lo sabe. El uso del término “ataque” entraña una manipulación política deliberada que cumple con una agenda predeterminada y perjudica a ambos países», señaló el Director de Estados Unidos del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Cuba.
Dijo que han venido acumulándose las teorías y esta se recicla en un momento en que existe una gran discusión sobre la rigurosidad científica del artículo publicado por la revista de la Asociación Médica Estadounidense (Jama, por sus siglas en inglés), sobre este tema e incluso, desde el propio momento en que salió a la luz pública en febrero de este año, los propios editores de la publicación recomiendan «cautela» sobre los resultados a que arriban, por no estar debidamente probados y aclaran que la revista no se responsabiliza por ellos.
Aseguró que al igual que ha ocurrido con todas las teorías que se han ido manejando durante casi un año y la especulación sin fundamentos sobre estos temas, es extremadamente frágil lo que se sustenta en esta ocasión.
«Ninguna teoría sin fundamentos resistirá por mucho tiempo el escrutinio público y científico, y esta se desmoronará por sí misma, como ha pasado hasta ahora», concluyó.
__________
It is impossible to prove something that did not occur, and the U.S. knows it
Author: Bertha Mojena Milián | internet@granma.cu
September 4, 2018 11:09:40
In exclusive statements to Granma, Carlos Fernández de Cossío, director for the United States at the Cuban Foreign Ministry, insists that the latest theory about microwaves cannot explain the variety and diversity of symptoms that the State Department claims its diplomats in Havana suffered, and with time will lose credibility
The media agenda to keep public opinion focused on controversial arguments repeated time and time again regarding supposed "incidents" suffered by U.S. diplomats in Havana, seems to be fully implemented every time the string of lies is resuscitated.
Now one of the old theories about the possible impact of microwaves has reemerged and an article in The New York Times has been published referring to new, unnamed witnesses and facts, including the alleged presence of vehicles circling the diplomat’s residences, which could have possibly emitted waves and caused brain damage.
In exclusive statements to Granma, Carlos Fernández de Cossío, director for the United States at the Cuban Foreign Ministry, insisted that the latest theory about the possible impact of microwaves cannot explain the variety and diversity of symptoms that the State Department claims its diplomats in Havana suffered, and with time will lose credibility.
“They started with the theory of sonic attacks that could not withstand the analysis of the scientific community and police investigations conducted by both countries. Then they resorted briefly to a hypothesis about a viral attack that was discarded for lack of evidence. For several months now, they have been talking about a brain concussion, without a concussion taking place, and attributed to only four diplomats,” Cossío recalled.
The Cuban diplomat noted that no evidence is available to support the latest theory or any scientific principles to justify its conclusions, although some media outlets are reporting the microwave story.
"What has been demonstrated is what scientists from Cuba, the United States, and other countries maintain, and what the island’s government has said from the beginning: the existence of attacks is false and the U.S. government knows this very well, since it has had multiple opportunities to prove it," he reiterated.
He recalled that at no time has the U.S. allowed Cuba access to the medical records of affected persons; or referred to previous illnesses they may have had; or examined behaviors these people had in common, which could perhaps explain to a certain extent the symptoms that have been reported, according to the State Department.
“There has been no attack or deliberate act against any of these diplomats and the State Department knows this. The use of the term "attack" implies a deliberate political manipulation that reflects a predetermined agenda and harms both countries," Cossío continued.
"No theory without foundation will withstand public and scientific scrutiny over time, and this will crumble on its own, as has happened thus far," he concluded..
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