Caribbean Leaders Reject U.S. Claims of Cuban Labor Exploitation

News Americas, New York, NY, March 14, 2025: Caribbean leaders have firmly rejected U.S. allegations of Cuban labor exploitation following Washington’s recent decision to impose visa restrictions on officials linked to Cuba’s overseas medical program.

The U.S. announced the measure late last month, claiming that Cuba’s labor export initiatives, which include a significant number of medical professionals, “enrich the Cuban regime” and involve the “exploitation and forced labor of Cuban workers.”

Cuban authorities dismissed the U.S. stance as a “personal agenda based on falsehoods” by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, asserting that the restrictions could negatively impact millions of people who rely on Cuban healthcare professionals.

Since Cuba’s 1959 revolution, the country has dispatched medical personnel worldwide, assisting with outbreaks such as cholera in Haiti and Ebola in West Africa. These medical missions also serve as a crucial source of revenue for the island, which continues to face economic challenges exacerbated by the long-standing U.S. embargo, widely opposed by the international community.

Caribbean leaders have voiced strong support for Cuban medical personnel. Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Keith Rowley, speaking at a hospital event, criticized the U.S. accusations. “Out of the blue now, we have been called human traffickers because we hire technical people whom we pay top dollar,” Rowley said, adding that he was prepared to lose his U.S. visa over the issue.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves highlighted the vital role of Cuban doctors in his country, where at least 60 people rely on a Cuban-run haemodialysis program for kidney treatment. “If the Cubans are not there, we may not be able to run the service,” he warned, stating that Cuban professionals receive the same pay as their local counterparts. “I would prefer to lose my visa than to have 60 poor and working people die.”

Jamaican Foreign Minister Kamina Johnson Smith also underscored the importance of Cuban healthcare workers, noting that 400 Cuban doctors, nurses, and medical technicians currently serve in Jamaica. “Their presence here is of importance to our healthcare system,” she said.

Bahamian Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell echoed this sentiment, affirming on social media that his government adheres to “all international best practices in the recruitment of labor.”

The strong regional response signals unwavering Caribbean support for Cuba’s medical missions, even as U.S. pressure mounts.