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Cuba’s doctors are its biggest soft power export. Several Latin American countries are cutting ties
Honduras terminated its contract in March with the public health program "Mission Miracle," joining Jamaica, Guyana, Guatemala, and Venezuela in cutting ties with Cuba's medical missions.
President Nasry Tito Asfura, backed in last year's election by President Donald Trump, cited non-compliance with local regulations when ordering the cancellation amid US allegations of forced labor.
Low-Income patients like Hector Zelaya now face $2,250 in private surgery costs, a significant burden since average monthly wages in Honduras range from $400 to $800.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio imposed visa restrictions on officials facilitating the program, while Cuba defends the missions as vital income, though Havana disputes State Department estimates.
Former medical personnel described systemic exploitation within the brigades; one doctor relocated to Colombia noted that "the idea of public health missions at the service of a country" geopolitical interests is outdated.