Díaz-Canel Attacks Marco Rubio and Defends the Medical Brigades That Fill His Pockets
MADRID, Spain – Cuban ruler Miguel Díaz-Canel used this Wednesday’s episode of his podcast Desde la Presidencia to launch yet another attack against U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whom he accused of leading a “perverse” strategy and a “surgical strike” aimed at dismantling the international medical brigades through which the Cuban government finances part of its economy.
According to Díaz-Canel, Washington is trying to obstruct the resources the country obtains through the export of health services and tarnish the image of an institution that the government portrays as a pillar of its “international solidarity.” “They want to destroy such a noble activity as medical cooperation,” he said.
The Cuban ruler, cornered by international criticism that questions the deployment of his professionals and accuses him of labor exploitation, directly linked the campaign to Donald Trump’s team and to Marco Rubio himself. However, he failed to address the testimonies of former mission members who claim to have suffered intense surveillance, coercion, and partial withholding of their salaries.
In his remarks, Díaz-Canel referred to Marco Rubio as “a cynic who boasts of his Cuban roots and has done nothing but try to harm Cuba.” According to the Cuban leader, statements by the Secretary of State and several legislators are part of an ideological offensive aimed at undermining one of the key achievements that, in his view, distinguishes the island’s socialist model: medicine as a tool of international prestige.
The official discourse did not address questions about the voluntary nature of these missions, the strict state control over the professionals sent abroad, or the lack of transparency in the management of the funds collected. Independent observers and labor rights organizations have pointed out that these issues warrant further investigation.
This past February, following remarks by Marco Rubio during a press conference in San José, Costa Rica, the Cuban leader responded on social media: “Shamelessness once again takes hold of the cynical U.S. politicians. It has been proven that the migratory exodus from Cuba is proportional to the tightening of the blockade, which deprives our people of essential goods. Humanity is endangered by your neo-fascism.” With this new verbal offensive, the Cuban government reinforces its narrative of victimization and its promotion of a “patriotic medicine” in service of the revolutionary project—even as numerous investigations have exposed the abusive labor conditions faced by Cuban doctors in missions abroad. All of this is compounded by ongoing domestic issues in Cuba: a shortage of medical supplies, a massive exodus of healthcare personnel, and the deterioration of hospitals and clinics, leading to a collapsed healthcare system.
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