Mexican President, Claudia Sheinbaum, has affirmed that her nation will continue to welcome Cuban medical personnel, as part of a long-established initiative aimed at fostering goodwill between Cuba and other Latin American nations.
Her comments yesterday come amid increasing pressure from the United States on Latin American countries to cut ties with Cuba’s medical program.
Sheinbaum stated during a press conference that this agreement has been advantageous for Mexico. Since 2022, thousands of Cuban healthcare workers have been deployed to work primarily in underserved rural areas.
“We have a very strong agreement that has proven to be immensely helpful. It’s a bilateral arrangement that has greatly benefited Mexico,” Sheinbaum remarked. “It’s challenging to find Mexican doctors and specialists willing to serve in many rural locations where we require medical expertise, and the Cubans are ready to step in.”
In February, the U.S. enacted legislation that allows for sanctions against nations that continue to engage with this program. The law mandates that the U.S. Secretary of State provide a report within 90 days detailing which countries are still compensating the Cuban government for what it describes as the “coerced and trafficked labor of Cuban medical professionals.”
The initiative is part of a broader effort to further isolate Cuba and destabilize the government in Havana, a long-standing target of U.S. criticism. So far, nations such as the Bahamas, Honduras, Guatemala, Jamaica, and Guyana have ceased their involvement in the Cuban medical exchange program.
Cuba has long portrayed this decades-old initiative as a demonstration of solidarity with other nations. Additionally, it serves as a significant source of foreign income for the island, which has been under a stringent U.S. economic embargo since 1960.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump characterized the program as resembling forced labor. “Essentially, it amounts to human trafficking,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated to reporters in February.
“They’re hardly receiving any compensation. Their movement is severely restricted. We want these nations to recognize what they are endorsing,” he stated.
Concerns similar to these have been voiced by experts at the United Nations, particularly regarding the seizure of passports. The Cuban government defends this practice as a way to prevent trained medical professionals from escaping the country after completing their state-funded education.
The scrutiny on Cuban medical missions is part of a larger initiative under Trump’s second term aimed at instigating regime change on the island. By threatening tariffs on Cuba’s trading allies, Trump has effectively isolated the island from acquiring the foreign oil essential for its energy grid.
Trump has also expressed his intention to “take” Cuba and establish a government more compliant with U.S. expectations.
The Mexican administration has sought to navigate its amicable ties with Cuba while addressing U.S. pressures.
In light of the absence of energy supplies, Sheinbaum’s administration has dispatched ships carrying humanitarian assistance to the island.
By: Madeline Moore