Italy Confirms Cuban Doctors Keep Their Salaries Without State Intervention

The Health and Welfare Department of Italy's Calabria region has officially denied claims that Cuban doctors working there are legally required to hand over portions of their salaries to the Cuban state-run enterprise, Commercializadora de Servicios Médicos Cubanos S.A. (CSMC). This company acts as the mediator between Havana and countries employing Cuban medical personnel.

In a formal response dated July 4, signed by Drs. Teresa Celestino and Francesco Lucia, Calabria's authorities clarified to CubaNet that Cuban doctors sign individual contracts directly with the regional health system. The complete salaries are deposited directly into Italian bank accounts in the doctors' names, as mandated by European labor laws.

This statement dismantles the supposed legal authority that CSMC claims to wield over Cuban professionals, challenging their frequent threats that doctors cannot work in Italy without the Cuban state enterprise's approval. The collaboration has faced criticism, particularly as these doctors serve in Europe while Cuba suffers a severe healthcare crisis.

Hidden Contracts and Salary Deductions

Despite the official arrangements, an investigative report by CubaNet, drawing on testimonies, internal documents, and legal analyses, exposes a clandestine system of dual contracts enforced by Havana to control doctors and seize substantial portions of their earnings. Italy acknowledges the doctors as independent contractors for a fixed term, but CSMC requires a secondary contract with lower pay and restrictive terms.

Evidence reveals that Cuban doctors in Calabria receive between 22% and 46% of the salaries paid by Italy, with the remainder funneled back to CSMC under the guise of mandatory fiscal deductions alleged by Italian tax authorities—claims that lack legal backing. Examined pay slips indicate that for overtime work, the regime withholds up to 71.5% of additional pay. Even the "13th month" bonus, an annual December payment, is heavily deducted, leaving doctors with only 19% in some cases, far less than the 50% initially promised by the Cuban entity.

Restrictions and Control Beyond Borders

Despite operating in Europe, Cuban doctors face stringent restrictions. They are barred from joining Italian unions or engaging in political or civic activities without Cuban mission approval. Their movements are monitored, requiring permission to leave the province for personal matters. Romantic relationships with locals must be reported, and all professionals must sign a "confidentiality agreement" prohibiting the disclosure of work conditions, even two years post-contract.

Interviews reveal an atmosphere of fear among doctors, threatened by potential denunciations by peers or deportation to Cuba with punitive migration measures. Some avoid overtime, finding the reduced pay not worth the effort, thereby exacerbating the strained medical services in the area.

Italy's Payment Practices Under Scrutiny

While Calabria's officials attest to lawful payment practices, they admit to not overseeing the final use of these funds once transferred. This oversight gap permits a system that experts argue breaches Italian, European, and international labor and human rights laws. Organizations like Cubalex have highlighted that Cuba's extraterritorial salary deductions lack legal legitimacy, violating ILO conventions and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

Since Cuban doctors arrived in Calabria in December 2022, Italy has paid at least €27.5 million in salaries, with just €6.2 million (22.6%) reaching the professionals, the rest absorbed by CSMC. This operation in Italy is led by Luis Enrique Pérez Ulloa, head of the medical mission.

The response from Calabria emerges amidst growing scrutiny of Cuba's contractual model. Italian lawmakers, human rights organizations, and unions have demanded transparency in agreements with Havana. Parliamentarian Anna Laura Orrico termed the situation "exploitation," urging regional president Roberto Occhiuto to ensure fair working conditions for Cuban doctors. Domenico Tallini, former president of the Calabria Regional Council, has called for a financial audit to trace the public funds allocated to these contracts.