Cuba said sorry to Canada on Wednesday because they sent the wrong body to a Canadian family. The family was mourning the death of their loved one who passed away during a vacation in Cuba in March.
Faraj Jarjour, who was from Canada and had Syrian roots, died of a heart attack while he was at a beach resort called Varadero in Cuba on March 22. But when his family received the body in Montreal weeks later, they found it was not him. The body they got was of a younger man with tattoos, and it didn’t look like their father at all.
It’s still not clear who the body actually belonged to. Cuba’s foreign minister, Bruno Rodriguez, said on social media that he talked to Canada’s foreign minister, Melanie Joly, about the mix-up. He promised that Cuban authorities are investigating the incident and apologized to the family for the mistake.
The family of Jarjour is still waiting for his body to be sent back from Cuba, even though it’s been more than a month since he passed away. Cuba’s government hasn’t said anything about the accidental delivery in their media reports.
Despite Cuba facing tough economic times with shortages of food, fuel, and medicine, it’s still a popular destination for Canadians.
Melanie Joly, Canada’s foreign minister, also talked to Rodriguez and said that Canadian officials are working with Cuba to fix the situation. She expressed sympathy for the family and said they’re doing everything they can to help.
It’s a sad and confusing time for Jarjour’s family, who just want to say goodbye to their loved one properly. They’re hoping Cuba can sort out the mistake and send the right body back soon.
