Cuban doctors arrive in Italy to help fight COVID-19.  / Credit/ theconversation.com /Matteo Bazzi/EPA 

By Gary Raynaldo      DIPLOMATIC TIMES

Several members of U.S. Congress Friday condemned the Cuban government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic for its dispatching of medical brigades around the world.  Three members of Congress from Florida accused Cuba of “exploiting”  coronavirus pandemic for political gain, accused the socialist’s government of continued trafficking of Cuban medical professionals, and spreading disinformation abroad. The medical missions are currently working in at least 17 countries to provide support in battling COVID-19.   Congressman Francis Rooney (R-FL), Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), and Congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-FL) issued the strongly-worded statement .

“The Cuban regime has shamelessly exploited this COVID-19 pandemic to engage in a misleading medical diplomacy campaign by trafficking doctors from whom they pocket as much as 80 percent of their salaries, confiscate their passports, and impose strict monitoring. The regime is also spreading dangerous disinformation about the virus worldwide with the aim of dividing the international community. These are just the latest examples of the regime’s use of propaganda to build a positive image abroad and distract from its systemic human rights violations against the Cuban people.”

-Statement from the Florida Congressional Representatives.

The statement urged the international community to “reject the Cuban regime’s disinformation campaign and its trafficking of medical professionals.”

Cuba Dispatches 37 Doctors To Help Fight Coronavirus In Italy

Photo: @CubacooperaGh /  telesurenglish.net/  Cuban doctors have been sent to several countries around the world to help fight the coronavirus

As Italy continues its battle against the global coronavirus pandemic, Cuba has sent 52 doctors and nurses to the country to help.  Cuba announced last month  that the team of 37 doctors and nurses were sent to Italy after the worst-affected region, Lombardy, asked the island-nation for immediate assistance in helping them fight the coronavirus. Cuban collaborators are already working with the same purpose in Venezuela and Nicaragua, responding to the request of the governments of both Latin American nations.

Politicizing Cuba’s COVID-19 Response is Counterproductive:   WOLA 

In response to Friday’s statement by the Florida members of congress,   research and advocacy group the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), warned against “politicizing” Cuba’s response to the coronavirus.

“In the midst of a global pandemic, the Trump administration and some Florida politicians are choosing to refight the Cold War rather than helping make sure people get access to life-saving care. Countries are asking for desperately needed help and Cuba, even with its own domestic COVID-19 challenges, is offering assistance. Now is a time for greater engagement and cooperation, not less. The countries of the world and this moment in history demand it.”

– said Marguerite Jimenez, who directs WOLA’s Cuba program. 

  “This kind of aggressive rhetoric does nothing to address any existing labor rights concerns with Cuba’s medical brigades. Rather, it uses a serious, life-threatening global pandemic as a pretext to politicize much-needed international medical cooperation,” said Geoff Thale, WOLA’s President.

“If members of Congress and the Trump administration were serious about addressing labor concerns in Cuba’s medical brigades program, they would have engaged with Cuba years ago.”

Thale said raising these issues now gives the appearance that the real concerns are less about improving the labor conditions of Cuban health  care professionals, or saving  lives in the  countries facing the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, “and more about denouncing the Cuban government.”

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