Cuban Ambassador to The Bahamas Ernesto Soberon Guzman said Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell failed to inform him until Wednesday about an incident involving a Cuban detainee who escaped the Carmichael Road Detention Centre more than two weeks ago.

Guzman called the matter a "communications break down".

When contacted for comment yesterday, Mitchell said he has given instructions to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that anything that happens in The Bahamas that has to do with Cubans is to be immediately communicated to the Cuban ambassador.

Guzman said despite the fall down in communication with respect to the escape, diplomatic relations between Cuba and The Bahamas remain strong and there is still an opportunity to move forward and strengthen those relations.

"We have a good relationship, and we have all the contacts, but unfortunately in this case the line of communication failed because until [Wednesday] no one informed us about this incident," Guzman said at the Cuban Embassy on Collins Avenue.

"The minister was the person that informed me about this incident with the Cuban detainees that tried to escape from the detention center.

"We want every time that something happens to Cubans [that] they immediately inform the embassy because that is the only way we know what is happening in the detention center."

The Cuban ambassador told us on Wednesday that he last visited the detention center on June 5.

The Nassau Guardian understands Guzman visited the facility yesterday morning, but when contacted he declined to comment. On May 31, during a severe storm, 10 Cuban detainees reportedly attempted to escape the detention center.

The Department of Immigration said the only one who managed to escape was Roberto Angulo Lamadrid. Director of Immigration William Pratt said yesterday that Lamadrid was still at large.

Guzman said during Wednesday's meeting, Mitchell said officers used some degree of force to counteract the attempted escape. He said he was told that in the process, three Cuban detainees were injured and hospitalized.

According to Guzman, Mitchell said the incident had nothing to do with a video that purported to show Cuban detainees being beaten by Bahamian law enforcement officers.

When asked if he was satisfied with the explanation, Guzman said, "That was what they informed us.

"In this case we have a particular situation. Some people tried to escape from the Detention Centre and they used force, and now I have to check if the force was excessive or not."

 Guzman said his visit would allow him to speak to detainees about a video that purported to show Cuban detainees being beaten by Bahamian law enforcement officers.

The video was aired by South Florida Spanish language program America Noticias 5.

Mitchell has called the video a manufactured attempt to damage the image of The Bahamas. An investigation has been launched into the matter.

 Meanwhile, Guzman said 10 Cuban detainees have requested to be repatriated and once the new repatriation process is completed that will happen.

There are a total of 38 Cuban detainees at the center, he noted. As far as diplomatic relations, Guzman said it is time to restabilize.

"If you take any two countries around the world there will be some coincidences and some difference," Guzman said.

"But if we have the will and the ability to speak directly without any problem I think that we can resolve that."

Next year, Cuba and The Bahamas will celebrate 40 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

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