The government of Mexico expressed his solidarity with Cuba in the face of the strong explosion this Friday in a hotel in Havana and confirmed that, despite the unfortunate event, the president’s visit Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (Amlo) to the Island, program for this weekend, “remains standing”.
“I regret the explosion of the Saratoga hotel in Havana, Cuba. Our solidarity with the victims and those affected, as well as with the people of that endearing brother town,” the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE), Marcelo Ebrard, said on Twitter.
López Obrador’s tour, which closes with his visit to the island, “continues its course as planned,” he added.
I regret the explosion of the Saratoga hotel in Havana, Cuba. Our solidarity to victims and affected as well as to the people of that endearing brother town. The planned tour continues its course as planned.
– Marcelo Ebrard C. (@m_ebrard) May 6, 2022
In another message on the social network, the Embassy of Mexico in Cuba reported that “in the face of the unfortunate events at the Hotel Saratoga in the city of Havana, the Embassy has activated the corresponding protection protocols.” “Until this moment, there are no reports of injured or wounded Mexicans,” the statement said, quoted by the agency. EFE.
During next Saturday and Sunday, the Mexican president and part of his cabinet plan to visit Cuba for the first time on an official trip, and meet with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel and other authorities on the island.
On the morning of this Friday, an explosion occurred at the emblematic Saratoga hotel that, according to preliminary investigations, was caused by a gas leak when a tanker truck supplied this fuel to the facility, which was preparing for its next reopening.
The number of victims after the registered explosion had reached at least nine deaths, more than a dozen missing so far and almost 40 hospitalized, according to the country’s authorities.
Sources from the country’s Presidency also reported that “preliminary investigations indicate that the explosion was caused by a gas leak.”
The Saratoga hotel is housed in a neoclassical-style building built in 1880 and has been operating as a hotel since 1933. Its last restoration took place in 2005, according to official media cited by EFE.
The establishment is located at the beginning of the Prado, one of the main avenues of Old Havana, in the historic center of the Cuban capital, and in the vicinity of the National Capitol. Due to its five-star category, it is considered one of the most luxurious in the city.
EFE / Oncuba
