EU summons its ambassador to Cuba to explain letter to Biden

The European Union has summoned its ambassador to Cuba to return to Brussels to explain himself after he reportedly signed an appeal asking US President Joe Biden to lift sanctions against Cuba and begin normalising ties with the country.

The European Union has summoned its ambassador to Cuba to return to Brussels to explain himself after he reportedly signed an appeal asking US President Joe Biden to lift sanctions against Cuba and begin normalising ties with the country. A spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Saturday that the ambassador, Alberto Navarro, was asked ''to come to Brussels to provide explanations.''

He was also instructed ''to provide a note detailing the matter," said the spokesman, Peter Stano. Stano did not answer a question on whether Navarro will be fired. The ambassador's summons to Brussels was first reported by Politico. Politico reported that 16 European Parliament lawmakers wrote to Borrell asking him to remove Navarro as ambassador, arguing that the diplomat was ''not worthy of the high functions he holds.'' The lawmakers' complaints included the ambassador signing the open letter to Biden that asked for the lifting of the US trade embargo against Cuba.