Brazil's President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, made a bold appeal on Thursday, urging the United States to lift its embargo against Cuba and allow its people to "live their own lives." "The U.S. waged a war and lost. Accept the loss and let the Cubans live in peace. Stop trying to control the world. [Trump] is not an emperor," Lula proclaimed during a government event in Pernambuco, located in northeastern Brazil.
These remarks from the Brazilian leader came just a day after Washington rescinded the visas of officials Mozart Julio Tabosa Sales and Alberto Kleiman. They were accused of being involved in the Mais Médicos program, a healthcare cooperation agreement between Brazil and Cuba, which the U.S. State Department labeled as an "exportation of coercive labor."
Lula addressed the Cuban people directly, stating, "The revocation of Mozart [Tabosa]'s visa was because of Cuba. They had traveled to Cuba. It is crucial to understand that our relationship with Cuba is one of respect for a nation victimized by a blockade for 70 years. Seventy years! They are facing hardships due to an unjustified blockade," he emphasized.
By making these statements, the Brazilian president reaffirmed his support for Havana amidst escalating tensions with Washington, asserting that bilateral cooperation in health and other sectors would persist despite U.S. sanctions.
Lula's comments followed Washington's denunciation of Mais Médicos as an "unacceptable diplomatic scam of foreign ‘medical missions’," claiming the program exploited thousands of Cuban professionals under restrictive conditions that violated their labor and mobility rights.
The U.S. State Department, relying on testimonies from hundreds of doctors involved in the so-called medical missions exported by Havana, has long accused the Cuban regime of withholding a significant portion of the salaries of healthcare professionals sent abroad and imposing travel restrictions, which international organizations and former collaborators have condemned as forced labor.
Initiated in 2013 by then-President Dilma Rousseff, the Mais Médicos program in Brazil became one of the primary destinations for Cuban medical teams, with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) acting as a mediator between the Brazilian government and Havana.
The organization has been implicated in U.S. legal actions due to its role in the agreement governing the participation of Cuban doctors in the program. Sanctions against Brazilian officials and former PAHO executives accompany other measures announced on Wednesday against representatives from Africa, Cuba, and Grenada, as part of the State Department's strategy to dismantle international networks that facilitate the labor exploitation of Cuban doctors.
Lula's Appeal and U.S.-Cuba Relations
Why did Lula da Silva urge the U.S. to end the embargo on Cuba?
Lula da Silva called on the U.S. to end the embargo to allow Cubans to live freely and peacefully, criticizing U.S. attempts to control global affairs.
What accusations have been made against the Mais Médicos program?
The U.S. has accused the Mais Médicos program of exploiting Cuban doctors under restrictive conditions, likening it to coercive labor practices.
How has the Pan American Health Organization been involved?
PAHO has acted as an intermediary in the Mais Médicos agreement and has faced legal challenges in the U.S. for its role in the program.