Canadian diplomats sue over mysterious “Havana Syndrome”

Five Canadian diplomats are suing the Canadian government for $28 million after falling ill with a mysterious disease while stationed in Cuba.

The plaintiffs -14 in total- include the diplomats and their families. They claim Ottawa delayed their evacuation, downplayed the seriousness of the situation and held critical health and safety information.

According to CBC the plaintiffs’ name have not been released because they are still employed by Global Affairs Canada, some working part-time and some are on a leave.

The employees all began feeling symptoms in Spring of 2017 but Canada only removed them from Cuba in April of 2018. Despite being home for 18 months, they still feel the symptoms. Some of the symptoms include memory loss, migraines, light sensitivity and lack of concentration.

One of the plaintiffs, Daniel, whose name was changed to protect his privacy, says he, his wife and his children were all diagnosed with brain damage in June 2017, reports CBC.

Similarly, some American diplomats working at the American embassy in Cuba claimed feeling similar symptoms around the same time, but the American Government pulled those employees out of Cuba in September of 2017.

The plaintiffs are calling this the “Havana Syndrome”