Direct payment to Cuban doctors, a topic on Rubio’s tour of the Caribbean

The Secretary of State Marco Rubio began on Wednesday a tour of the Caribbean that includes official visits to Jamaica, Guyana and Surinam, which is expected to be discussed the trafficking of Cuban doctors in the countries of the region and the direct payment for its services is suggested.

The head of American diplomacy seeks to promote the priorities in foreign policy of President Trump in the Caribbean, according to the State Department.

«The Encounters of the Secretary Rubio with our valuable Caribbean partners will promote regional cooperation to eradicate illegal immigration, combat transnational organized crime, strengthen regional actions to address Haiti’s political and security challenges, and strengthen the economic alliances of the United States with the Caribbean countries,» adds an official note of the US Foreign Ministry.

Cuban doctors on Rubio’s agenda

In a meeting with the press, shortly before the Tour of Rubio, the special envoy of the US for Latin America, Mauricio Claver-Carone, said that surely the issue of Cuban medical missions in the Caribbean would be part of the agenda of the Secretary of State.

«Obviously, they will approach it in an integral way. Look, we have been very clear: the United States firmly opposes human trafficking. The Trump administration and President Trump have been leaders in the fight against trafficking in persons, either through the border with Mexico and what we saw, obviously, during the previous administration, with 500,000 children and other people who were victims of trafficking through the border White by the totalitarian regime in Cuba, which is essentially being trafficked worldwide. During your stay. The quality of Cuban doctors and the work they have done in the Caribbean, in Haiti, etc., is excellent; extraordinary. And, in short, we must recognize it and we want to recognize it, «said the Cuban American.

Claver-Carone added that what they ask for these nations is «that they do not support human trafficking.»

«Let them support – and I know that some efforts have been made, especially starting with Barbados – the direct payment to these Cuban doctors so that they have some freedom of movement and professional practice, etc. We understand, obviously, how the Cuban regime operates to maintain control over these people. But basically we want to have a united voice against the servitude by contract, against trafficking in persons, in favor of the norms of the international organization of the International Organization of the Labor. Treatment of workers, regardless of their kind, «said the official.

The US special envoy for Latin America reiterated the firm position of the Trump administration against trafficking in people in all areas.

«In this sense, we consider that Cuban doctors and their trafficking enter that category. And we hope to collaborate with our Caribbean neighbors to ensure that they can directly hire doctors, to do so by their own will, with freedom of movement and freedom of practice and expression. And that is an important conversation that will be maintained, which has already begun, and that will surely be raised to the secretary,» Claver-Carone said.

Last month the United States government announced the expansion of its visa restriction policy for people involved in the Cuban labor export program, specifically of medical missions abroad.

In making the announcement Rubio said that the expansion of this policy will affect officials and former officials of the Cuban government, as well as foreign individuals, including officials from other countries, who are considered responsible or accomplices of this labor exploitation scheme.

The announcement generated criticism from several leaders from countries in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) who refuted that the hiring of Cuban doctors is a labor exploitation.

The Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, current president of Caricom, said she was prepared, like other leaders of the region, to lose her US visa if «a sensible agreement» on this matter is not achieved. His position was backed by representatives of Antigua and Barbuda; San Vicente and the Granada and Trinidad and Tobago.