Cuban Health Worker Kidnapped in Haiti is Released

On Wednesday, Cuba's Health Ministry (MINSAP) announced that Alejandro Aguilera, the driver of the Medical Brigade in Haiti, was released after Haitian armed gangs held him hostage for 10 days.

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“We thank the Haitian authorities and all good-will people who mobilized to achieve the release of our collaborator in the shortest possible time and safely,” the MINSAP said.

“While caring for the Haitian population, the Cuban Medical Brigade's collaborators comply with the security measures established for the performance of their functions,” it added.

Aguilera, who works at the Las Tunas Health Directorate, was kidnapped last week, but Cuban authorities did not report the incident until Monday.

The tweet reads, "Cuba remembers the 66 years of the historic combat of La Plata, the first victory of the Rebel Army which allowed knowing that Fidel was alive and fighting."

"Following the essential discretion required in this type of situation, we established contact with the Haitian authorities... to achieve the safe and prompt release of the Cuban worker," the MINSAP said.

Over the last two years, Haiti has been immersed in an environment of political instability and social insecurity, in which armed gangs have increased kidnapping operations against Haitians and foreigners.

Cuban doctors have been working in Haiti since 1998, when they arrived to help the population after Hurricane George. Subsequently, other Cuban medical brigades arrived to provide assistance to the Haitians after the 2010 earthquake and Hurricane Matthew in 2016.