The United States Government has communicated the disbursement of "more than three million dollars" (2.6 million euros) in "compensations" directed at individuals affected by the so-called Havana Syndrome, the enigmatic ailment that in recent years has struck diplomatic, political, and security personnel of American nationality stationed in Cuba and in other foreign capitals.
"We prioritize the care of affected personnel and disburse nearly three million dollars in compensation in what represents the first payment of the Havana Act made," the Department of Defense reported in a statement.
US intelligence services even suggested that this strange condition could be linked to the actions of foreign actors, although most agencies continue to consider this hypothesis improbable.
The syndrome was first detected in 2016 among diplomats stationed in Cuba and has since impacted dozens of people in different parts of the world, including Bogotá and Vienna.
The affected individuals presented multiple symptoms that medical specialists linked to ultrasounds or microwaves of unknown origin. The final report from Congress, released in 2023, determined that it was "very unlikely" to be an operation by a foreign state, although it did not provide an alternative explanation and this succession of "anomalous medical incidents" remains unexplained.
Starting in 2017, Washington ordered the departure of all non-essential personnel from its Embassy in Havana and expelled Cuban diplomats, as part of the investigation into the alleged use of microwaves as a weapon.