They will be replaced with national specialists.

On Thursday, the Guatemalan government announced the gradual withdrawal of Cuban medical brigades, ending a nearly 30-year program that addressed critical health needs in the Central American country.

The Guatemalan Health Ministry informed that the brigade consisted of 412 workers, including 333 doctors, and that the phasing-out process will ensure the continuity of services through Guatemalan specialists.

The decision comes during the presidency of Bernardo Arevalo, who has strengthened cooperation with the United States, signing reciprocal trade agreements and collaborating on deportations, prison issues, and the “fight against gangs.”

U.S. President Donald Trump has pressured Latin American countries to end cooperation with Cuban medical brigades, which he has characterized as a “business” of the Cuban government.

In February 2025, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced visa restrictions for Cuban and foreign officials linked to these missions, alleging that they “deprive” Cuban citizens of access to domestic medical care.

Since then, Paraguay, the Bahamas, and Guyana have canceled similar programs, although Guyana indicated that it would hire Cuban doctors independently and directly.

Cuban doctor MarIa Elena Barrero, along with more than 400 colleagues, will leave Guatemala in the coming months. She defends the brigade’s altruistic nature, asserting that no one participates under duress.

Barrero emphasized that the brigade members leave their families and communities to help in other countries.

Meanwhile, she stated that rural Guatemalan patients lament their departure, valuing their professionalism and the free medical services they received.

teleSUR: JP

Source: France24 – The New York Times

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