-
- Visa revocations and restrictions on Brazilian government officials and former PAHO officials involved in the Cuban Regime’s Labor Export Scheme
By Caribbean News Global 
WASHINGTON, USA – Today, the Department of State took steps to impose visa restrictions on African, Cuban, and Grenadian government officials, and their family members, for their complicity in the Cuban regime’s medical mission scheme in which medical professionals are ‘rented’ by other countries at high prices and most of the revenue is kept by the Cuban authorities.
“This scheme enriches the corrupt Cuban regime while depriving the Cuban people of essential medical care. The United States continues to engage governments, and will take action as needed, to bring an end to such forced labor. We urge governments to pay the doctors directly for their services, not the regime slave masters,” said the US Department of State in a press statement.
“The United States aims to support the Cuban people in their pursuit of freedom and dignity and promote accountability for those who perpetuate their exploitation. We call on all nations that support democracy and human rights to join us in this effort to confront the Cuban regime’s abuses and stand with the Cuban people.”
Meanwhile, the Department of State took steps to revoke visas and impose visa restrictions on several Brazilian government officials, former Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) officials, and their family members for their complicity with the Cuban regime’s labor export scheme in the Mais Médicos program.
According to the Department of State:
“These officials were responsible for or involved in abetting the Cuban regime’s coercive labor export scheme, which exploits Cuban medical workers through forced labor. This scheme enriches the corrupt Cuban regime and deprives the Cuban people of essential medical care.”
“As part of Brazil’s Mais Médicos program, these officials used PAHO as an intermediary with the Cuban dictatorship to implement the program without following Brazilian constitutional requirements, dodging US sanctions on Cuba, and knowingly paying the Cuban regime what was owed to Cuban medical workers. Dozens of Cuban doctors that served in the program have reported being exploited by the Cuban regime as part of the program.”
The Department has revoked the visas of Mozart Julio Tabosa Sales and Alberto Kleiman, both of whom worked in Brazil’s ministry of health during the Mais Médicos program and played a role in planning and implementing the program. Our action sends an unmistakable message that the United States promotes accountability for those who enable the Cuban regime’s forced labor export scheme.
