Canadian diplomats in Cuba allegedly shared intelligence with CIA

Reports indicate that Canadian diplomats stationed in Cuba between 2016 and 2018 may have shared intelligence with the CIA during the period when cases of the so-called ‘Havana Syndrome’ first emerged. According to sources cited by The Globe and Mail, officials involved in the Global Security Reporting Program (GSRP) at the Canadian embassy in Havana collected information for Canada and its Five Eyes partners, including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.

One source alleged that Canadian diplomats were occasionally asked to send information directly to CIA agents at the U.S. embassy. Additionally, it is claimed that the United States sent satellite equipment to the Canadian embassy via maritime diplomatic containers in late 2016, which was then installed at the Canadian mission and official residences.

The Canadian government has denied that its diplomats provided intelligence to U.S. agencies, maintaining that GSRP members are accredited diplomats working openly and legally. While a 2023 report from a Canadian security review body noted a ‘grey zone’ regarding contacts with foreign agencies, the reported intelligence activities do not establish a cause for the health issues experienced by diplomatic personnel in Cuba.