U.S. Targets Officials Over Alleged Cuban Medical Worker Program Ties
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced visa restrictions for some African, Caribbean, and Brazilian officials tied to a Cuban medical program. The Cuban government criticizes the move as an attack on its income. The program, criticized by the U.S., provides essential healthcare globally.
In a controversial move, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has instituted visa restrictions against certain officials from Africa, the Caribbean, and Brazil, suspected of connections to a Cuban medical worker program. This step marks another chapter in the ongoing saga between Washington and Havana over international health cooperation.
The latest restrictions target officials like Brazilian Ministry of Health's Mozart Julio Tabosa Sales and former Pan American Health Organization's Alberto Kleiman, both of whom have seen their visas revoked. The Cuban government has condemned these U.S. efforts as a strategic maneuver aimed at undermining the financial gains of its renowned medical missions.
The Cuban medical program, operational since the 1959 revolution, sends healthcare professionals worldwide and contributes significantly to Cuba's economy. Rubio criticized the program as exploitative and urged countries to directly compensate the doctors. Meanwhile, leaders from the Caribbean and Brazil have rejected the accusations of exploitation, defending the essential services provided.
Google News