Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
Faraj Jarjour, 68, died on March 22 in Varadero, Cuba during a family vacation.
The family paid $10,000 to have his body returned to Laval, Que. with them. But when they went to identify the father of two, a Russian man about 20 years younger was in the casket.
"I talked by phone with [Minister Mélanie Joly] about unfortunate incident related to the transfer of corpse of Canadian citizen who died in Cuba," wrote Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez on X. "Cuban authorities investigate to clarify incident. I conveyed heartfelt condolences & apologies to relatives and friends of the deceased."
Cuba offers refund to family
The family was devastated after the tragic incident and is still waiting to find out what happened to Jarjour's body.
Joly, Canada's foreign minister, called it an "unimaginable situation" on social media, adding that, "Canada will continue to help the Jarjour family until this situation is resolved."
Global Affairs Canada said it met with the Cuban ambassador Wednesday to discuss the situation.
"We appreciate that Minister Rodriguez has publicly expressed apologies to the family and relatives of this Canadian citizen and agreed to refund the family the cost of the repatriation service," wrote spokesperson Jason Kung in an email to CTV News. "We welcome the Cuban government’s firm commitment to rectify this extremely unfortunate situation as soon as possible. According to an email from spokesperson Jason Kung, as a spokesperson from Global Affairs Canada."
Correction
An earlier version of this story stated that the Canadian government offered the family a refund for the repatriation. In fact, the Cuban government offered the refund.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6966463.1721172734!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
NEW From lifestyle changes to climate change, why some Canadians are delaying having children
Some Canadians feel stuck between a rock and a hard place when considering starting a family, while others are concerned about what their child's future could look like.
Traces of cyanide are found in the blood of Vietnamese and Americans found dead in a Bangkok hotel
Initial autopsy results showed traces of cyanide in the blood of six Vietnamese and American guests at a central Bangkok luxury hotel and one of them is believed to have poisoned the others over a bad investment, Thai authorities said Wednesday.
The stepped-up security around Trump is apparent, with agents walling him off from RNC crowds
Trump campaign officials declined to comment on the stepped-up security and how it might impact his interactions going forward.
The guidance for RSV vaccines has changed. Here's what Canadian seniors need to know
Health officials recently changed the guidelines for respiratory syncytial virus vaccines. Here's what Canadians need to know about the guidance and the virus itself.
Don Valley Parkway reopens after record-breaking rainfall, flooding in Toronto
The Don Valley Parkway and Gardiner Expressway have reopened this morning following record-breaking rainfall in Toronto on Tuesday that caused widespread flooding.
opinion How to turn your hobbies into income during retirement
In his financial advice column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines some simple steps retirees can take to use their pastimes to earn money.
Amazon Prime Day is a big event for scammers, experts warn
Amazon Prime Day is here, and experts are reminding consumers to be wary of scams. Here's what you need to know.
JD Vance, Trump's pick for vice president, will introduce himself to a national audience at the RNC
Donald Trump’s running mate JD Vance will introduce himself to a national audience Wednesday as he addresses the Republican National Convention.
What is leading to low attendance at one of the country's most popular football stadiums?
The Saskatchewan Roughriders have one of the strongest fan bases in the league but are having a tough time filling their stadium this year.