North Miami-Dade News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Western Hemisphere Subcommittee Chairwoman María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) joined Reps. Mark Green (R-TN), Carlos A. Giménez (R-FL), and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) in a Congressional Resolution denouncing the Cuban regime’s modern slavery and exploitation of medical personnel serving around the world. The resolution is endorsed by the Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba, Cuba Archive, and Victims of Communism.

“The Cuban Medical Missions are a sinister human trafficking scheme and form of modern slavery,” said Chairwoman Salazar. “Socialist leaders like Xiomara Castro in Honduras who exploit the labor of Cuban doctors should face the consequences.”

For years, Cuban medical personnel have been forced to operate in countries around the world under coercion at the direction of the dictatorship, often having their wages, credentials, and passports confiscated. In addition to this, many workers are subjected to surveillance and strict curfews, according to the U.S. State Department’s 2024 Trafficking in Person Report.

Many of these medical professionals work in extremely difficult conditions for up to sixty hours a week and are subject to reprisals for speaking out, including possible prison time. While many countries are paying these doctors US$125 to $325 per month, the doctors only keep 10-25 percent of that amount, according to the Harvard International Review.

Representative Salazar is a leader in Congress on sounding the alarm on the exploitation of Cuban doctors. In 2023, she sent a letter along with Reps. Green and Giménez to the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) on this same issue.

“Forcing anyone into compulsory labor for profit is wrong; the Cuban regime’s medical personnel trafficking operation is no different. For years, the Cuban regime has violated the fundamental rights of its own healthcare workers, from infringing upon their privacy and freedom of movement to hindering their right to freedom of speech and association. This medical servitude must come to an end,” said Rep. Green. “The Cuban regime’s aim isn’t altruism but profit. Cuban doctors receive only a small fraction of their earnings, and only when they return to Cuba. It’s time to give Cuban healthcare workers the dignity and respect they deserve. One way we can do this is by revoking visa authorities for foreign organization officials who participate in Cuba’s human trafficking of medical personnel. This resolution calls on President Joe Biden to do just that."

“The murderous regime in Havana is the largest, most cynical perpetrator of human trafficking in our hemisphere. Cuban doctors are trafficked like modern day slaves; their wages are garnished and they are exploited in the most inhumane conditions imaginable,” said Rep. Giménez. “As the only Cuban-born Member of Congress, I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing this legislation to hold the Castro regime and its international accomplices accountable.”

“Cuba Archive strongly supports Congressman Mark's Green resolution calling for minimal sanctions—visa revocations—against the Cuban regime's partners in abusive export labor trafficking schemes presented as international 'missions,'” said Cuba Archive.

“No other government in the world would accept its own citizens being mistreated and exploited like Cuba does to its medical personnel overseas. It is a crass profit-making scheme masquerading as humanitarian concern. We are indebted to Chairman Green for this initiative that stands up for basic human rights of these most vulnerable Cubans and puts foreign officials on notice that they will be held accountable by United States for participating in this immoral and degrading activity,” said Tony Costa, President, Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba.

“Cuba’s so-called ‘Medical Brigades’ are an affront to human rights and dignity of doctors pressed into service by Communist Party," said Dr Eric Patterson President CEO Victims Communism Memorial Foundation." Make no mistake Havana uses these medical professionals as PR campaign third world countries forcing doctors work dangerous conditions while withholding pay keeping profits regime officials Havana high time call communist scheme what really human trafficking.”

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