On the night of March 3, a visitor from Canada claimed to have been attacked while staying at The Blau hotel in Varadero.
Crystal Jardine, the Canadian woman who shared on Facebook that the incident occurred at a beach bar where she was with her husband, was named. A man approached her and asked for a cigarette. After she handed it to him, a woman—presumably her partner—aggressively confronted her, claiming that Crystal was flirting with him.
"I firmly asked him to leave, and they eventually left. About 30 minutes later, the man returned from across the bar and, without provocation, punched me in the face. He also physically attacked my husband," the tourist explained.
"The hotel staff initially didn't treat this situation with urgency. I managed to contact the Canadian Embassy, and it was only after informing the front desk about this that the matter seemed to be taken more seriously," Cristal said in her complaint, adding:
"I called the police several times, but the calls were disconnected every time I mentioned the complex's name. I eventually received medical treatment at an emergency room for my injuries, including a swollen, closed eye."
During her stay at the hospital, the visitor informed the authorities of her intention to file a complaint. They assured her they would arrive at the resort at 9:00 a.m., but when 6:00 p.m. arrived, they still hadn't appeared. After calling, she learned she would have to wait until the next day.
"The lack of transparency and support from both the hotel and local authorities is deeply concerning. The man responsible for the assault is still on the resort grounds, according to staff, which is incredibly concerning for my safety and that of other guests," the victim said.
Upon returning to Ontario, Canada, where she resides, Crystal shared her experience with CTV News. As of March 21, she had not fully recovered from the bruise on her eye caused by the blow to her face.
The incident occurred on the second day of her arrival with her husband at a resort in Varadero where they were to spend a five-day vacation, a trip organized by Sunwing Vacations.
Cristal says that on that unfortunate night, the attacker beat her and physically attacked her husband after knocking him to the ground. Security personnel intervened and detained the attacker, then told him to leave.
"I don't have the man's name; the resort won't give it to me. They didn't give me an official report of the assault. The only information they gave me was that he was Canadian," Cristal reported after contacting the police, who informed her that she would have to remain in Cuba to pursue legal action.
CTV News contacted Sunwing Vacations, which acknowledged the incident. The resort said the matter is under investigation and provided witness statements.
Defense attorney Joseph Neuberger explained that while Cristal cannot pursue legal action in Canada, she can still identify the person accused of the assault.
"Due to international law, you cannot file any criminal charges against him in Canada, as the jurisdiction is Cuba. Once in Canada, your only recourse, if you knew the individual's personal information—name, address, etc.—would be to pursue a civil action for assault," the lawyer said.
"It's disgusting that someone could do this, and knowing that he's Canadian, he could do it too. This is all wrong. I want this man to be held accountable for what he did to me," Cristal insisted.
