Cuba denounces US campaign against its doctors

Havana vs. Washington: One more chapter in the geopolitical soap opera

Just when the UN is preparing for another vote on the eternal and controversial US blockade of Cuba, the Cuban ambassador to Mexico, Marcos Rodríguez Costa, came out with statements that sound more like a political thriller script than a boring press conference. Basically, he accused the US authorities of launching a “fierce” campaign, such as *bullying* at an international level, to pressure other countries to align with their position. Because, apparently, in the 21st century, diplomacy is exercised based on memes and pressure.

Rodríguez Costa did not bite his tongue and detailed how this economic fence affects practically everything on the island: from the economy and sports to education, tourism and, oh surprise, health. Their main complaint is that Washington now has its sights on Cuba’s international medical collaboration, one of the flags most waved by the Cuban government. According to the ambassador, this is a “coercive design” to prevent Cuba from obtaining income and, in the process, accuse them of human trafficking. An argument that, without a doubt, adds fuel to the fire of a dispute that seems to have no end.

The world without Cuban doctors? A drama in several acts

Imagine this: more than 50 countries and around 60 thousand Cuban health collaborators spread around the globe, turning the island into a kind of *startup* of solidarity medicine, but with decades of experience. The ambassador was clear: this campaign puts the health of thousands of people who depend on this aid at risk. And here, in Mexico, things are personal. With more than 3,300 Cuban doctors in Aztec territory, the possible departure of these professionals sounds like that awkward moment in a series when a key character announces that he is leaving.

The Mexican government, for its part, seems to have found in Cuban doctors the solution to the holes in a health system that, according to them, the “neoliberal model” left in a critical state. Both former president López Obrador and the current president, Claudia Sheinbaum

And speaking of topics that are close to us, the Abdalá vaccine against Covid-19 also came up. Rodríguez Costa mentioned that conversations with Mexico continue, highlighting the “global success” of the vaccine and remembering that thousands of Mexicans received it during the pandemic. A nod to those days of confinement where we were all experts in virology and we followed the trail of each vaccine as if it were a spoiler for our favorite series.

Oil, security and eternal gratitude: The complete combo

The bilateral relationship is not limited to white coats. The ambassador also spoke of sending Mexican oil to Cuba to alleviate the energy crisis, a measure that he described as “natural” and the result of a “close relationship” with institutions such as Pemex and the CFE. Basically, it’s the classic “neighbor who gives you a hand when the power goes out”, but on a geopolitical scale.

In a more serious tone, Rodríguez Costa warned about security threats in The Caribbean and Latin America, specifically pointing out the situation of Venezuela with the United States. He also strongly rejected the inclusion of Cuba on the list of countries sponsoring terrorism, a label that, according to him, has very real consequences, such as international banks fleeing the island as if it were a *spoiler* on Twitter.

In a rare (and refreshing) moment of self-criticism, the diplomat admitted that not all of Cuba’s problems are due to the blockade. He acknowledged that “we still have to improve things“, a statement that in the world of politics sounds almost *plot twist*. Even so, he trusts in unanimous support against the siege at the UN, despite what he describes as an intense United States campaign to bend wills.

The conclusion? This episode confirms that relations between Cuba and the United States continue to be as complicated as following the thread of a WhatsApp conversation full of deleted messages. Meanwhile, medical collaboration remains a point of pride for Havana and a topic of exciting debate for all.

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