Canada sent a patrol ship to Cuba to "deter," Defense Minister says

The Minister of Defense of Canada said he authorized the arrival of the patrol vessel at the port of Havana.

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CiberCuba Writing

18/06/2024 - 6:14pm (GMT-5) |

Cargando — Harry DeWolf Ship HMCS Margaret BrookePhoto © Canadian warship Margaret Brooke

Buque Harry DeWolf HMCS Margaret Brooke © Buque de guerra canadiense Margaret Brooke — Harry DeWolf Ship HMCS Margaret BrookePhoto © Canadian warship Margaret Brooke

The Minister of Defense of Canada, Bill Blair, said he approved the decision to send a Canadian warship to the port of Havana, coinciding with the Russian war fleet this week.

"This was the direct result of a request made to me by the commander of the Joint Operations Command and the admiral in charge of the Royal Canadian Navy," Blair stated in an interview reproduced by the Canadian media CBC News.

The vessel Harry DeWolf HMCS Margaret Brooke arrived at the Port of Havana last Friday, June 14, and returned to Canadian waters last Monday, the 17th.

According to the minister, "the visit to the port was carefully planned at the request of Canada and was announced in advance by the military."

Unlike what happened with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the North American country, Mélanie Joly, Blair stated that he was aware of the presence of Russian warships in Havana when he authorized the navy to send the HMCS Margaret Brooke to its waters.

Minister Joly stated in an interview with a Canadian media outlet that she was unaware of the reasons for the visit of the warship.

To the question of why Canada would have a ship in a Cuban port at the same time as Russian military vessels are there, she responded that she was not aware of the situation.

This is something I have to look much closer at. This is new information for me because the Minister of Defense also works with CAF and DND on the same issue; but of course, we will look into it and get back.

However, the Caribbean Defense Minister said that "the Canadian ship visited Havana to demonstrate Canada's presence, naval capability, and commitment to open and safe waters in the Americas."

"This was a military mission. They asked for authorization to do it, and I granted it," he stated.

The convergence of ships from Canada, Russia, and the United States in Cuba, just 160 kilometers from Florida, has brought back memories of the Cold War and highlights the current tensions between Russia and Western countries due to the war in Ukraine.