Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum praised the service of Cuban doctors, who often work in underserved rural areas.
Published March 25, 2026
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed that her country will continue to host Cuban medical workers as part of a long-standing program aimed at building goodwill between the country and other Latin American countries.
Her remarks on Wednesday came as the United States pressures Latin American countries to sever ties with Cuba’s health plan.
Recommended stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
But Sheinbaum told a news conference that the deal would benefit Mexico. Since 2022, thousands of Cuban health workers have been sent to Cuba, working mainly in poor rural areas.
“We have a very good agreement. This is a bilateral agreement that is very beneficial for Mexico,” said Sheinbaum.
“It’s difficult to get Mexican doctors and specialists to go to many rural areas that need medical professionals, but Cubans are happy to work there.”
In February, the United States passed legislation paving the way for sanctions against countries that continue to participate in the program.
The report called on the U.S. Secretary of State to issue a report within 90 days on countries that continue to pay the Cuban government for “forced labor and human trafficking of Cuban health care workers.”
The move comes amid widespread pressure to further isolate Cuba, a long-time target of U.S. ire, and overthrow the Havana government. So far, countries including the Bahamas, Honduras, Guatemala, Jamaica and Guyana have ended their participation in Cuba’s medical exchange program.
Cuba has long portrayed the decades-long plan as a way to show solidarity with other countries. It is also an important source of foreign revenue for the island nation, which has been under a restrictive economic embargo by the United States since 1960.
But US President Donald Trump’s administration has described the program as akin to forced labor.
“Basically, this is human trafficking,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters in February.
“So they’re barely even being paid. Their freedom of movement is severely restricted. And we want these countries to understand that that’s what they’re participating in.”
U.N. experts have expressed similar concerns, including the confiscation of passports, which the Cuban government has justified as a way to prevent trained doctors from fleeing the country after completing state-sponsored research.
The pressure on Cuba’s medical mission is part of a broader push for regime change in Cuba under President Trump’s second term.
By threatening to impose tariffs on Cuba’s trading partners, President Trump has largely cut off Cuba’s access to the foreign oil needed to power the grid.
President Trump also said he hoped to “occupy” Cuba and establish a new government more amenable to U.S. demands.
The Mexican government is trying to balance friendly relations with Cuba with the demands of the United States.
In the absence of energy transport, the Sheinbaum government sent ships loaded with humanitarian supplies to the island.
