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The Cuban-Canadian Coalition (CCC), a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting democracy in Cuba, published a formal letter on Saturday addressed to Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anita Anand, urging Mark Carney's government to reconsider its diplomatic stance toward Cuba and to close the Cuban embassy in Ottawa.
The letter, shared through the Coalition's account on X, specifically calls for the closure of the Cuban diplomatic mission in the Canadian capital, allowing only a minimal consular presence for immigration services and administrative procedures.
Additionally, it calls for a drastic reduction of Canadian diplomatic staff in Havana to the minimum necessary for basic consular functions.
"Respectfully urge the Government of Canada to reconsider its current diplomatic commitment to the Republic of Cuba, particularly regarding the operation of the Cuban Embassy in Canada and the Canadian diplomatic presence on the Island," the document states.
The Coalition bases its request on three central arguments.
First, Canada's foreign policy must reflect its democratic values, and the Cuban regime's record on human rights and political freedoms warrants a diplomatic recalibration.
"A reorientation of diplomatic dialogue would send a clear and principled message," the text specifies.
Secondly, the presence of Canadian citizens residing or working in Cuba is limited, and tourism has also decreased significantly.
Third, maintaining a full diplomatic infrastructure in Cuba represents an unjustifiable expense for Canadian taxpayers, given that the direct interests of Canadian citizens on the island are limited.
Furthermore, and of particular seriousness, the document states that Cuban diplomatic missions are systematically used for espionage, surveillance of the exiled community, and recruitment of agents, according to testimonies from defectors of the Cuban intelligence service confirmed by foreign intelligence agencies.
"These concerns further emphasize the need for a cautious approach that prioritizes security in diplomatic relations with the Cuban dictatorship," the petition underscores.
The request comes at a time of increasing pressure on Ottawa to take a tougher stance towards Havana.
In February, the Macdonald-Laurier Institute published a report that called on Canada to impose selective sanctions against Cuban officials responsible for repression and alliances with Russia, China, and Venezuela.
The report highlighted a striking inconsistency: Canada has sanctioned 124 Venezuelans, 35 Nicaraguans, as well as citizens from Russia, Belarus, and China under the Magnitsky Act and the Special Economic Measures Act, but no Cuban officials have been sanctioned to date.
On February 24, the CCC itself testified before the House of Commons Committee on Foreign Affairs. In that session, the president of the Coalition, Raimet Martínez, emphatically stated that the Cuban crisis is not due to external factors, but rather to "67 years of an incapable governing system."
The humanitarian context in Cuba reinforces the arguments of the coalition.
Since late 2025, the Island has been experiencing a severe fuel crisis that has paralyzed its nine international airports and stranded approximately 27,900 Canadian tourists, forcing airlines like Air Canada, Air Transat, and Sunwing to suspend flights.
Canadian travel bookings to Cuba fell by 86% in March compared to the same period in 2025.
In terms of human rights, Justicia 11J estimated at least 760 political prisoners on the Island this March, a figure that contrasts with the official announcements from the regime regarding releases.
Despite this outlook, the Canadian government announced the dispatch of 5.8 million dollars in humanitarian aid to Cuba, channeled through the World Food Programme and UNICEF, a decision that Cuban-Canadian civil society organizations consider insufficient unless accompanied by real political pressure on the regime.
Canada and Cuba have maintained uninterrupted diplomatic relations since 1945, being one of the few countries in the hemisphere that did not break them after the Revolution of 1959.
For the CCC, this historical link can no longer be a reason to ignore decades of repression: "This proposal does not seek to eliminate communication or necessary services, but to align Canada's diplomatic stance with fiscal responsibility and its commitment to democratic principles," concludes the letter.
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