Italy Retains Over 200 Cuban Doctors Despite U.S. Pressure

The Italian region of Calabria is standing firm in keeping more than 200 Cuban doctors, despite diplomatic pressure from the Trump administration, which has labeled these missions as "human trafficking" and "modern slavery," according to an AP report.

The U.S. State Department stated in an email response to the press agency, "Cuban medical brigades are a crucial source of cash for the bankrupt regime."

In Calabria's case, the region has established individual contracts with each doctor, depositing their salaries directly into Italian bank accounts instead of paying the Cuban state agency.

However, the doctors themselves acknowledged to the AP that they send up to half of their earnings back to Cuba. "We are aware of Cuba's economic situation. It is a voluntary contribution because Cuba trained us, educated us, and made us doctors," explained Zoila Yakelin Arevalo Cruz, an emergency medicine specialist.

Cardiologist Daysi Luperon Loforte dismissed the label imposed by Washington: "We do not consider ourselves modern slaves at all, as someone called us. We love our country, make an economic contribution, and are happy to do so."

The Stance of Calabria's Leadership

Calabria's governor, Roberto Occhiuto, a member of Forza Italia—a party with anti-communist roots—met in February with Mike Hammer, the U.S. chargé d'affaires in Cuba, and the general consul in Naples.

The meeting was cordial, but Hammer made it clear that Washington would prefer alternative sources of medical personnel. "I faced some pressure during the Biden administration as well. But the pressure increased with Trump," admitted Occhiuto, who nevertheless remained resolute: "I have reiterated to Ambassador Hammer that I need to keep the hospitals open and that I intend to retain the Cuban doctors currently in Italy in their positions."

Occhiuto admitted he would like to triple the Cuban staff to around 1,000 doctors but has restrained himself to avoid further irritating Washington.

Impact and Repercussions

The chief medical officer of the Polistena hospital, Francesco Moschella, illustrated the situation before the Cubans' arrival in January 2023: "It was a disaster. I alone kept the emergency room open."

Washington criticizes a scheme where the Cuban regime charges market rates to host countries and gives doctors only a fraction of that money, keeping the rest through the Commercializadora de Servicios Médicos Cubanos (CSMC), a body tied to the military conglomerate GAESA.

The State Department estimates that these missions generate between $6 billion and $8 billion annually for Havana, making them its main source of foreign exchange, surpassing tourism.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has gone further, accusing the program of constituting a "form of human trafficking," referring to the Cuban government's retention of most of the salaries and, as alleged, confiscation of passports.

U.S. pressure has indeed had an impact elsewhere. In March 2026, Jamaica ended a nearly 50-year medical cooperation agreement with Cuba, affecting around 300 healthcare workers, and Honduras expelled over 150 Cuban doctors.

In April 2025, the European Parliament approved an amendment officially condemning Cuban medical brigades as "modern slavery" and "forced labor," and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights published a 199-page report the same month recommending American countries withdraw from the program.