US Imposes Sanctions on Brazilian Health Officials Over Cuba’s Overseas Medical Program

The United States has announced that it is revoking the visas of several Brazilian, African, and Caribbean officials due to their involvement in Cuba’s overseas medical program, which Washington has characterized as a form of “forced labour.” The program, designed to send Cuban-trained doctors abroad, has long been a cornerstone of Cuba’s international medical cooperation. Washington argues that the initiative exploits medical personnel and benefits the Cuban government financially while depriving ordinary Cubans of essential medical care.

Specifically, the US identified two Brazilian Ministry of Health officials—Mozart Julio Tabosa Sales and Alberto Kleiman—whose visas have been revoked for their work on Brazil’s Mais Médicos program, also known as the “More Doctors” initiative, which was established in 2013. According to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the sanctions were applied to officials who played a role in “abetting the Cuban regime’s coercive labour export scheme.” Rubio asserted that such programs enrich the Cuban government while denying vital medical services to the Cuban population.

In addition to these Brazilian officials, the US has also imposed visa restrictions on several former Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) officials, as well as their family members, who were implicated in collaborating with Cuba’s labor export program. Rubio emphasized that the actions reflect the Department of State’s efforts to hold accountable those complicit in the alleged exploitation of Cuban medical personnel. Furthermore, visa restrictions were announced for certain African officials, though specific countries were not named, and for the Caribbean nation of Grenada, citing similar reasons.

Cuba, however, strongly criticized the US sanctions, portraying them as a cynical attempt to undermine Cuba’s foreign currency earnings rather than a genuine human rights concern. Johana Tablada, Cuba’s deputy director of US affairs, responded to the announcement by asserting that the nation’s international medical cooperation would continue. Tablada also accused Rubio of prioritizing other geopolitical agendas, including supporting Israeli actions in Palestine, while targeting Cuba’s healthcare programs.

Cuba’s international medical missions have historically been a major source of revenue for the country, particularly important for a nation that has faced decades of economic isolation and crippling US sanctions. These missions are often contracted by third countries, providing Cuba with critical foreign currency that supports its domestic economy. Beyond the financial aspect, the program also reflects Cuba’s long-standing commitment to international solidarity. Since the 1959 Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro’s communist government has prioritized the provision of free or low-cost medical assistance to developing nations as a gesture of global cooperation.

The Mais Médicos program in Brazil, for instance, represents a collaboration between Cuba and host countries to address local shortages of medical professionals, particularly in underserved regions. While Washington views such initiatives as exploitative, Cuba and its partners emphasize the humanitarian and developmental benefits, highlighting the dual role of such missions in both international aid and domestic economic support.

In summary, the US visa revocations target officials connected to Cuba’s overseas medical missions, reflecting Washington’s allegations of forced labor and exploitation. Cuba has rejected these claims, defending its international medical programs as both humanitarian and economically essential. The tensions underscore the broader geopolitical struggle between the US and Cuba, with medical diplomacy serving as both a lifeline for Cuba’s economy and a point of contention in US-Cuba relations.