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New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Health
- New Straits Times
US revokes visas of Brazilians involved in Cuban medical missions
WASHINGTON: The United States on Wednesday announced it was revoking the visas of two Brazilian officials who allegedly played a role in Cuba's programme to send doctors abroad, which Washington calls "forced labour." "Today, the Department of State took steps to revoke visas and impose visa restrictions on several Brazilian government officials, former Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) officials, and their family members for their complicity with the Cuban regime's labour export scheme in the Mais Medicos programme," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement. The officials were involved in "the Cuban regime's coercive labour export scheme, which exploits Cuban medical workers through forced labor," Rubio added. Earlier Wednesday, Rubio announced visa restrictions on African officials, without specifying the countries involved, as well as Grenada, for the same reasons. Brazil's Health Minister Alexandre Padilha called Washington's sanctions "unjustifiable attacks," saying "the programme saves lives and has the approval of the only ones who matter: the Brazilian population." The US had recently announced that it would tighten visa restrictions on Cuban and foreign officials, along with their relatives, linked to Cuban medical missions around the globe. Analysts say these international missions, including medical services, are sold by Cuba to third countries and function as the country's main source of foreign currency. "This scheme enriches the corrupt Cuban regime and deprives the Cuban people of essential medical care," said Rubio, who is of Cuban heritage. Cuba's healthcare system is public and meant to be universally accessible, but decades of sanctions and a downturn in tourism mean the communist country is no longer medically self-sufficient. Last year, the island nation of 9.7 million people could not afford the US$300 million needed to import raw materials to produce hundreds of critical medicines. The Brazilian officials, identified as Mozart Julio Tabosa Sales and Alberto Kleiman, worked for Brazil's Ministry of Health as part of the Mais Medicos programme, according to the State Department. Padilha said Wednesday that the programme "will survive." Since Trump returned to the White House, the US government has taken a considerably tougher stance on the communist island, including issuing sanctions against its president, Miguel Diaz-Canel.
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
US to impose visa restrictions on officials, alleging ties to Cuban labor program
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox WASHINGTON - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday took steps to revoke or restrict visas for some African, Caribbean and Brazilian officials who Washington alleges have ties to a Cuban program that sends medical workers overseas. The State Department revoked the visas of Brazilian Ministry of Health official Mozart Julio Tabosa Sales and former Pan American Health Organization official Alberto Kleiman, Rubio said in a statement. Rubio did not name other officials who were affected but said they were from Africa, Cuba and Grenada. The Cuban government has blasted U.S. efforts to stop the medical missions, calling them a cynical excuse to go after its foreign currency earnings. Caribbean leaders have previously rejected U.S. accusations of Cuban labor exploitation. "Cuba's medical cooperation will continue," Johana Tablada, Cuba's deputy director of U.S. affairs, said on X. "His (Rubio's) priorities speak volumes: financing Israel genocide on Palestine, torturing Cuba, going after health care services for those who need them most," Tablada wrote. Brazilian Health Minister Alexandre Padilha said his government will not bow to what he called "unreasonable attacks" on Brazil's Mais Medicos, or "More Doctors," program mentioned by Rubio. The program was created in 2013. Cuba's contract in it was terminated in 2018. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia India, Singapore ministers discuss deeper tie-ups in digitalisation, skills, industrial parks Business More seniors remain employed after retirement and re-employment ages raised in 2022: MOM study Singapore askST: Public bidding possible if assets seized in $3b money laundering case are sold at auction Singapore 2 dead after fire in Jalan Bukit Merah flat, about 60 evacuated Sport PSG beat Tottenham on penalties to win Uefa Super Cup Business CapitaLand Investment first-half profit falls 13.3%; appoints new CEO of private funds Singapore TB screenings at two pre-schools after staff member diagnosed in July Opinion How to train a drone warrior, with lessons from Ukraine President Donald Trump's administration in February expanded visa restrictions to target officials believed to be tied to the Cuban program, which has sent medics around the world since the Cuban revolution in 1959. The program provides hard cash to the island nation, which is enduring its latest economic crisis. Trump has imposed a hard-line policy toward communist-run Cuba and reversed former President Joe Biden's measures. Rubio labeled the Cuban program as one where "medical professionals are 'rented' by other countries at high prices and most of the revenue is kept by the Cuban authorities." He said it enriches Cuban officials and deprives Cuban people of essential medical care. Washington will act "to bring an end to such forced labor," Rubio said, urging governments to pay doctors directly for their services. In announcing restrictions on Brazil and ex-PAHO officials, Rubio accused the branch of the World Health Organization covering Caribbean, Central and South America of acting as an intermediary to implement the program without following Brazilian constitutional requirements, and dodging U.S. sanctions. REUTERS
The Sun
3 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
US revokes visas of Brazilians involved in Cuban medical missions
WASHINGTON: The United States on Wednesday announced it was revoking the visas of two Brazilian officials who allegedly played a role in Cuba's program to send doctors abroad, which Washington calls 'forced labor.' 'Today, the Department of State took steps to revoke visas and impose visa restrictions on several Brazilian government officials, former Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) officials, and their family members for their complicity with the Cuban regime's labor export scheme in the Mais Medicos program,' Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement. The officials were involved in 'the Cuban regime's coercive labor export scheme, which exploits Cuban medical workers through forced labor,' Rubio added. The US recently announced that it would tighten visa restrictions on Cuban and foreign officials, along with their relatives, linked to Cuban medical missions around the globe. Analysts say these international missions, including medical services, are sold by Cuba to third countries and function as the country's main source of foreign currency. 'This scheme enriches the corrupt Cuban regime and deprives the Cuban people of essential medical care,' said Rubio, who is of Cuban heritage. Cuba's healthcare system is public and meant to be universally accessible, but decades of sanctions and a downturn in tourism mean the communist country is no longer medically self-sufficient. Last year, the island nation of 9.7 million people could not afford the $300 million needed to import raw materials to produce hundreds of critical medicines. Both Brazilian officials, identified as Mozart Julio Tabosa Sales and Alberto Kleiman, worked for the Brazil's Ministry of Health as part of the Mais Medicos program, according to the State Department. In an earlier statement Wednesday, Rubio announced visa restrictions for African officials, though without specifying the countries involved, as well as Grenada, for the same reasons. Since Trump returned to the White House, the US government has taken a considerably tougher stance on the communist island, including issuing sanctions against its president Miguel Diaz-Canal. Washington has also recently increased its sanctions against Brazil, targeting a Supreme Court judge involved in the trial of former president Jair Bolsonaro - AFP
India Today
3 days ago
- Health
- India Today
US revokes visas of Brazilians over Cuba forced labour allegations
The US State Department has revoked and restricted visas for multiple Brazilian government officials, former Pan American Health Organisation staff, and their family members over alleged involvement in forced labor linked to Cuba's Mais Medicos program, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said state department announced the visa revocations via a press those targeted are Mozart Julio Tabosa Sales and Alberto Kleiman, whom the State Department accused of helping implement the program while serving in Brazil's Ministry of In a press statement released on Wednesday, the US department of state mentioned that it will "take the action needed to bring an end to such forced labour."Rubio did not name other officials who were affected but said they were from Africa, Cuba and Grenada. The Cuban government was not available for immediate comment, but has blasted the Trump administration's efforts to stop the medical missions as a cynical excuse to go after its foreign currency Trump administration in February expanded visa restrictions to target officials believed to be tied to the Cuban program, which has sent medics to countries around the world since the Cuban revolution in 1959. The program provides hard cash to the island nation, which is enduring its latest deep economic Julio Tabosa Sales oversaw the Mais Medicos program as Brazil's secretary of Labor Management and Health Education and now serves as secretary of Specialised Health Care at the Ministry of the program's operation, Alberto Kleiman was a special advisor to the Health Ministry and headed its international relations department. He later became director of external relations, partnerships, and resource mobilisation at the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and now holds a similar role at the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation, according to his LinkedIn is also a defendant in a lawsuit filed by Cuban doctors against PAHO.- EndsWith inputs from Reuters Tune InMust Watch
