FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba Condemns Exploitation of Cuban Doctors in The Bahamas
Calls on Host Governments to Uphold International Labor Standards
Miami, FL – April 22, 2025 — The Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba (FHRC) strongly condemns the exploitation of Cuban medical professionals working in The Bahamas under state-sponsored contracts with the Cuban regime. As exposed by Cuba Archive, these doctors receive as little as $16 per month—just a fraction of what the Bahamian government pays to Havana’s state-run medical export agency, Comercializadora de Servicios Médicos Cubanos (CSMC). The remainder is seized by the regime.
This is not humanitarian aid—it is a modern form of forced labor.
We reject the common justification that these programs are essential to providing healthcare in underserved areas. Let us be clear: FHRC is not opposed to medical assistance or the presence of Cuban doctors. We are opposed to their exploitation. These professionals deserve the same basic rights, freedoms, and protections guaranteed to any worker under international law. Host countries like The Bahamas must not look the other way simply because the labor is politically convenient or financially cheap.
According to documentation obtained by Cuba Archive, these medical personnel are subjected to severe restrictions: their passports are confiscated, their movements tightly controlled, and they are prohibited from bringing their families. If they attempt to leave their assignments, they face expulsion, blacklisting, or threats against relatives in Cuba. These practices violate core conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO), to which The Bahamas is a signatory.
FHRC urges the Bahamian government—and all countries hosting Cuban medical missions—to:
- Review all agreements with the Cuban government for compliance with international labor standards;
- Guarantee that medical professionals receive their full wages and freedom of movement;
- Eliminate all clauses that subject workers to coercion, surveillance, or retaliation.
We commend Cuba Archive for its essential work exposing these abuses and call on democratic governments to end their complicity in a system that treats doctors as property rather than professionals.