Cuba admits Canadians were held against their will at Cayo Coco resort

Cuba admits Canadians were held against their will at Cayo Coco resort
By Sean O'Shea

TORONTO–Cuba's tourist office in Canada and a Cayo Coco hotel
acknowledge two Canadians were detained at the seaside resort last week
against their will.

Canada's foreign affairs department confirmed to Global News on Friday
that "two Canadian citizens … were detained in Cuba" but would not
discuss specifics of the case.

She was referring to the case of Katharine Foran, 26, and Adam Babuik,
30, who spent two extra days at the Hotel Playa Coco where they were
guests of the all-inclusive, three-and-a-half star resort.

Global News reported last week that the couple described being virtually
held "hostage" at the hotel under constant security watch after they
attempted to check out.

The couple admits they were intoxicated during their all-inclusive
vacation and as a result, broke part of a light fixture in their room
and damaged a wall in another.

A Canadian tourist staying at the hotel at the same time, who asked not
to be identified, said she saw Foran dump a drink on Babuik's head in
the main bar.

Foran said she and Babuik offered to pay the $400 demanded by the hotel
but said her Vancity Visa credit card would not function, although they
say they had sufficient credit to cover the damage charges. However,
when the couple could not pay, they were not allowed to leave the hotel.

"When you travel to any country where the rule of law isn't respected,
you are always taking a chance," said Toronto immigration lawyer Lorne
Waldman, who has represented clients imprisoned in Cuba for a variety of
reasons.

"Fortunately, it was only two days; I'm aware of a lot of other
instances where people have been confronted with a lot more serious
problems," Waldman said.

In an email in Spanish from the hotel's general manager to the tourist
board, Otoniel Riverond Portela said the Canadians also stole alcohol
from the beer garden and that at various times, the Canadians' behavior
was aggressive.

Riverond Portela acknowledged the the couple had agreed to pay for damages.

Reached in Vancouver Monday, Foran focused on the trauma associated with
being prevented from contacting her family or the Canadian Embassy in
Havana during the two-day detention.

Foran said family members were still upset at their temporary
disappearance. Her mother filed a missing person's report with the
Vancouver Police Department.

Foran and Babuik are considering pursuing a complaint with the
Department of Foreign Affairs of their treatment at the hotel in Cuba.

Source: Cuba admits Canadians were held against their will at Cayo Coco
resort | Globalnews.ca -
http://globalnews.ca/news/2329537/cuba-admits-canadians-were-held-against-their-will-at-cayo-coco-resort/