Following Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic damage throughout Florida’s Gulf Coast, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) met with local officials and volunteers from the barrier islands to discuss the storm’s impact and current recovery efforts. Photos are courtesy of...
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English/ Español: Rubio Joins Scott, Cruz In Introducing Bill Requesting State Department Publish List of Nations Contracting the Cuban Regime’s Medical Missions
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) joined Senators Rick Scott (R-FL), and Ted Cruz (R-TX) in introducing the Cut Profits to the Cuban Regime Act, which will require the State Department to publish the list of countries that contract with the Cuban regime for their medical missions program, and to consider that a factor on their ranking in the State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report.
The Cuban regime makes an estimated $7 billion annually by exporting professional services, including these medical missions. This program is one of the Cuban dictatorship’s largest source of revenue, yet they rarely, if ever, pay a living wage to the medical professionals they force to work abroad, confiscating their passports and subjecting them to poor living conditions and surveillance. There are currently around 50,000 Cuban doctors working across 67 countries. Now, Cuba is using the COVID-19 pandemic to exploit its own medical workers for profit while the island is in desperate need of medicine, medical equipment and doctors. It is reported that Cuba has sent more than 1,400 medical professionals to over 20 countries to assist with the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I have consistently raised my concerns about the Díaz-Canel/ Castro dictatorship’s exploitative practice of using Cuban doctors for their so-called medical missions, which is a form of modern-day human trafficking,” Rubio said. “I’m proud to join this effort that will require the State Department to publish a list of countries that are complicit in exploiting Cuban medical professionals by contracting with the Cuban regime.”
“Cuba is participating in the human trafficking of doctors, and now Cuba is using the coronavirus pandemic for profit at the expense of these hardworking physicians,” Scott said. “It’s despicable. Any country that requests medical assistance from Cuba is aiding their human trafficking efforts. The international community must stand against the use of forced labor and the Cuban regime’s exploitation of this crisis, and I’m proud to lead my colleagues today in calling out this injustice and helping to bring a new day of freedom for the people of Cuba.”
“The Cuban regime has long enlisted Cuban doctors to work all over the globe,” Cruz said. “This has been especially true during the coronavirus pandemic. While these medical missions appear to be gestures made in good will, in reality they are a tactic used by Raúl Castro and Miguel Díaz-Canel to exert power and fill government coffers. This bill will shed light on who is contracting with the Cuban regime for its medical mission program, and will send a strong warning that the United States will not turn a blind eye to the trafficking of Cuban doctors.”
Related:
- May 6, 2020: Rubio, Menendez Express Concern About Cuba’s Coercive Forced Labor Scheme, Urge Pompeo to Have U.S. Embassies Send Diplomatic Communications to Engage Countries.
- June 20, 2019: Rubio Comments on State Department’s 2019 Trafficking in Persons Report.
- May 7, 2019: Rubio, Menendez, Scott Urge Administration to Support Victims of Cuban Regime’s Exploitation
- January 10, 2019: Rubio, Menendez Introduce Resolution Condemning Castro Regime’s Forced Labor of Cuban Doctors
Rubio is the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women’s Issues.
Washington, D.C. — El senador estadounidense Marco Rubio (R-FL) junto a los senadores Rick Scott (R-FL) y Ted Cruz (R-TX) presentaron el proyecto de ley Cut Profits to the Cuban Regime Act, el cual le requerirá al Departamento de Estado publicar la lista de países que tienen contrato con el régimen cubano para su programa de “misiones médicas” y que el Departamento de Estado considere esto como un factor en la clasificación del país en el reporte anual de Trata de Personas del Departamento de Estado (TIP, por sus siglas en inglés).
El régimen cubano gana aproximadamente $7 mil millones de dólares anuales exportando sus servicios profesionales, incluidas estas llamadas “misiones médicas.” Este programa es una de las mayores fuentes de ingreso de la dictadura cubana, pero rara vez, si en alguna ocasión, le pagan un salario digno a los profesionales de la salud a quienes obligan a trabajar en el extranjero, confiscando sus pasaportes, vigilándolos y sometiéndolos a condiciones de vida deficientes. Actualmente, hay alrededor de 50,000 médicos cubanos trabajando en 67 países. Cuba ahora está utilizando la pandemia del COVID-19 para explotar a sus propios profesionales de la salud con fines de lucro, mientras que la isla necesita desesperadamente medicinas, equipos médicos y profesionales de la salud. Se reporta que Cuba ha enviado a más de 1,400 profesionales de la salud a más de 20 países para ayudar con la pandemia del COVID-19.
“De manera consistente, he expresado mi preocupación por la práctica explotadora de la dictadura de Díaz-Canel y Castro de usar a médicos cubanos para sus llamadas misiones médicas, la cual constituye una forma de trata de personas”, Rubio dijo. Me enorgullece el unirme a este esfuerzo que requerirá que el Departamento de Estado publique una lista de los países que son cómplices en la explotación de los profesionales médicos cubanos mediante la contratación con el régimen cubano”.
“Cuba está traficando profesionales de la salud, y ahora utiliza la pandemia del Coronavirus para obtener ganancias a expensas de estos médicos. Es horrible”, Scott dijo. Cualquier país que solicite asistencia médica de Cuba está apoyando la trata humana. La comunidad internacional debe oponerse al uso del trabajo forzado y la explotación de esta crisis por parte del régimen cubano. Estoy orgulloso de liderar este esfuerzo junto a mis colegas para denunciar esta injusticia y traer un nuevo día de libertad para la gente de Cuba.”
“El régimen cubano tiene mucho tiempo alistando médicos cubanos para enviarlos a trabajar por todo el mundo”, Cruz dijo. “Estas misiones médicas parecen gestos de buena fe, pero realmente son usadas por Raúl Castro y Miguel Díaz-Canel para llenar los cofres que financian la opresión del pueblo cubano. Este proyecto de ley aclarará quiénes son sus cómplices internacionales y enviará una clara advertencia al mundo sobre la seriedad con la que los Estados Unidos se opone al tráfico de médicos cubanos.”
Relacionado:
- 6 de mayo del 2020: Rubio, Menéndez Expresan su Preocupación por el Esquema de Trabajo Forzoso de Cuba, instan a Pompeo a que las embajadas de EE.UU. envíen comunicación diplomática a los países involucrados.
- 20 de junio del 2019: Rubio Comenta Sobre el Informe de Trata de Personas de del Departamento de Estado.
- 7 de mayo del 2019: Rubio, Menéndez, Scott Instan a la Administración a Apoyar a las Víctimas de la Explotación del Régimen Cubano
- 10 de enero del 2019: Rubio y Menéndez Presentan una Resolución que Condena el Trabajo Forzoso de los Médicos Cubanos por parte del Régimen Castrista
Rubio es el presidente del Subcomité de Relaciones Exteriores para el Hemisferio Occidental, Delincuencia Transnacional, Seguridad Civil, Democracia, Derechos Humanos y Asuntos Globales de la Mujer.