On September 7, President Miguel Díaz-Canel issued Presidential Decree 1289, which grants the "Internationalist Worker" Medal to Cuban citizens who have undertaken international missions with exemplary dedication and selflessness.
In this context, ten Cuban workers from the National Union of Education, Science and Sports Workers (SNTECD) were awarded the decoration. This announcement was made public on Wednesday in the Extraordinary Special Official Gazette No. 16 of 2026, appearing on pages 15 and 16.
The proposal for the award came from the general secretary of the Cuban Workers' Central (CTC), who, according to the second article of the decree, is also tasked with imposing and presenting the medal to each recipient.
The medal honors Cuban citizens who have completed international missions lasting more than a year—or, in exceptional cases, six months or more—in fields such as production, services, science, technology, education, culture, health, and sports.
The decree explicitly references the regulatory framework governing this honor: Decree-Law 109, "Regulation of Law 170 of the System of Honorary Titles and Decorations," approved on September 24, 2025, which incorporates this medal into the state system of awards alongside 20 orders, 24 medals, and eight distinctions.
The ten honorees hail from two provinces: four from Havana—Yaite Machado Medero, Yudith Ramírez Guzmán, Aisy Magaña Coba, and José Ernesto Valdés Serrano—and six from Cienfuegos—Yisel Herrera Martínez, Yirka Julves Álvarez, Gladys García Sánchez, José Antonio Ramírez Jiménez, Lesby José Domínguez Fonseca, and Edel Lache García.
The decree states that the distinction is awarded "in recognition of the responsibility and work developed during the fulfillment of their internationalist mission," without specifying the countries where these workers served.
Other Presidential Awards in the Gazette
The Extraordinary Special Official Gazette No. 16 of 2026 is entirely dedicated to presidential decoration decrees and includes five additional norms: Presidential Decree 1282, awarding the "Order of Sports Merit"; 1283, the "Medal of Friendship"; 1284, the "Medal for the Defense of the Homeland and Community Unity"; 1287, the "Jesús Menéndez Medal"; and 1286, the "Labor Feat Medal."
Presidential Decree 1289 is not the first of 2026 to confer this distinction. Previously, Presidential Decree 1177 had awarded it to 215 workers from the National Union of Health Workers, highlighting the frequent use of this recognition mechanism for Cuban personnel deployed abroad.
Understanding Cuba's Internationalist Worker Medal
What is the "Internationalist Worker" Medal?
The "Internationalist Worker" Medal is an award given to Cuban citizens who have completed international missions with dedication and selflessness in various sectors such as health, education, and more.
Who proposed the awarding of this medal?
The proposal for awarding the "Internationalist Worker" Medal was made by the general secretary of the Cuban Workers' Central (CTC).
Where can the details of this decree be found?
The details of the decree can be found in the Extraordinary Special Official Gazette No. 16 of 2026.