A Royal Canadian Navy ship arrived in Havana this Friday morning, hours after a United States submarine entered the waters of Guantanamo Bay.
Both visits take place just days after the arrival in the Cuban capital of a Russian naval detachment, which still remains in the Havana roadstead and witnessed the arrival of the Canadian ship.
The Canadian ship is the HMCS Margaret Brooke patrol ship, which belongs to a new series recently introduced into the North American nation’s navy, according to a statement from the Cuban Armed Forces.
His visit is part of “bilateral collaboration to contribute to peace in our region,” says an official note, cited by Cubadebate.
The stay of this vessel on the island will last until the 17th – the same date on which the Russian detachment will depart – when it will leave for the Canadian port of Halifax, and “will allow for strengthening ties between Cuba and Canada”, whose relations diplomats turn 80 years old.
In addition, “it continues the visits received in 2016 and 2018 by the frigates HMCS FREDERICTON and HMCS CHARLOTTETOWN, respectively,” according to the FAR statement that announced the arrival of the ship.
Photo: Otmaro Rodríguez.
Photo: Otmaro Rodríguez.
Photo: Otmaro Rodríguez.
Photo: Otmaro Rodríguez.
Photo: Otmaro Rodríguez.
US submarine in Guantanamo
This Thursday the US submarine USS Helena had arrived in the waters of the perimeter of the Guantanamo naval base, as “part of a routine visit.”
“The fast attack submarine USS Helena is in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as part of a routine port visit while transiting the U.S. Southern Command geographic area of responsibility and carrying out its global mission. of maritime security and national defense,” the US command itself stated in its X account.
“The location and transit of the ship were previously planned,” the military entity stated.
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The arrival of the American submarine occurred just 24 hours after the arrival of the Russian flotilla in Cuba. The arrival of this detachment, which includes a modern frigate and a propulsion submarine, has generated expectations due to its geopolitical significance.
However, the Cuban Government affirmed that the visit of the Russian flotilla is part of a “historical practice” between countries with “relations of friendship and collaboration,” and asserted that it does not carry nuclear weapons nor does it represent a “threat to the region.” .
The Russian Ministry of Defense had reported last Tuesday that the squadron sent to Cuba took advantage of its movement through international waters in the Atlantic to carry out exercises that included the virtual launch of “high-precision” missiles.
After learning of his visit to Cuban waters, the US assured that it did not see it as a threat, but decided to monitor the movements of Moscow’s ships in Atlantic waters.
The arrival of the US submarine to Guantánamo could be part of this remote monitoring, although officially their coincident arrivals on the island would not be related.
The USS Helena is not the only submarine from its country that has visited the US Naval Base in eastern Cuba in recent times.
Last year, a North American nuclear-powered submarine spent several days in the enclave that Havana claims because it considers it illegally occupied. Then, the Cuban Government “categorically” rejected the visit and considered that it was a “provocative escalation” by Washington and a “danger” for the region.
EFE / OnCuba.
