US Slaps Visa Sanctions on Cuban Medical Missions

St. Croix Times Staff

 Havana, Cuba - The U.S. has revoked visas and imposed restrictions on former Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) officials, Brazilian government officials, and their family members for their roles in what U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio calls the “Cuban regime’s coercive labor export scheme” in Brazil’s Mais Medicos program.

“The targeted individuals were responsible for or involved in abetting the Cuban regime’s coercive labor export scheme, which exploits Cuban medical workers through forced labor,” said Secretary Rubio. “The program enriches the corrupt Cuban regime and deprives the Cuban people of essential medical care.”

 According to the State Department, officials used PAHO as an intermediary with the Cuban government to implement the program without following Brazilian constitutional requirements, dodging U.S. sanctions on Cuba, and knowingly paying the regime money 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,” an official at the State Department said. 

Mozart Julio Tabosa Sales and Alberto Kleiman were named specifically of those whose visas were revoked. Mr. Sales is a Brazilian Ministry of Health official, and Mr. Kleiman worked at PAHO as Director of External Relations until 2022. 

“Both individuals worked in Brazil’s Ministry of Health during the Mais Medico program and played a role in planning and implementing the program…The move sends an unmistakable message that the United States promotes accountability for those who enable the Cuban regime’s forced labor export scheme,” stated Secretary Rubio. 

The announcement came on the same day the State Department imposed visa restrictions on African, Cuban and Grenadian government officials and their families for their involvement in similar Cuban medical mission programs in which medical professionals are “rented” by other countries and most of the revenue is kept by Cuban authorities.

Secretary Rubio did not name the specific African countries or officials. He however, urged governments to “pay the doctors directly for their services, not the regime slave masters” and called on nations that support democracy and human rights to confront “the Cuban regime’s abuses and stand with the Cuban people.”