成人X站

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) 鈥� An unusual request from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights about Cuban medical brigades that operate worldwide and provide much needed help has roiled countries in the Caribbean and the Americas.

In a letter obtained by The Associated Press, the commission asks members of the Organization of American States, OAS, for details including whether they have an agreement with Cuba for medical missions, whether those workers have labor and union rights and information about any labor complaints.

鈥淭his was an unprecedented move,鈥� said Francesca Emanuele, senior international policy associate at the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington. 鈥淚t鈥檚 deeply troubling.鈥�

Cuba has more than 22,000 doctors working in more than 50 countries, including in the Caribbean and the Americas, according to its government. A breakdown for the region was not available, but many impoverished nations in the Caribbean rely heavily on those medical professionals.

The commission, an independent body of the OAS, which is heavily funded by the U.S., said it plans to analyze the data collected as well as offer recommendations 鈥済iven the persistence of reports of rights violations.鈥�

A spokesperson for the commission declined comment, saying the letter is private.

The letter was sent after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced visa restrictions in late February for Cuban or foreign government officials accused of involvement in Cuba鈥檚 medical missions, which he called 鈥渇orced labor.鈥�

鈥淭he timing is really suspicious,鈥� Emanuele said, noting that the information requested 鈥渇alls squarely鈥� within the member states鈥� sovereign decision-making. 鈥淭he role of this organization should not be distorted.鈥�

In June, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump slapped several unidentified officials from Central America with visa restrictions.

A deadline looms

Silence has prevailed since the human rights commission issued its May 24 letter giving OAS member states 30 days to respond.

鈥淚鈥檓 awaiting a regional approach,鈥� said Ralph Gonsalves, prime minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

He said in a phone interview that he would raise the issue next week during a meeting of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States as chairman.

鈥淭here are no human rights issues involved here,鈥� he said, noting that St. Vincent is party to several international and labor conventions. 鈥淭hey have not been breached and will not be breached.鈥�

Gonsalves said Cuban doctors run the sole hemodialysis center in St. Vincent that provides free care to 64 patients at a rate of $5 million a year.

鈥淲ithout the Cubans, that dialysis center will close,鈥� he said.

When asked if he worried about potential visa restrictions, Gonsalves said he met earlier this year with Rubio and provided a lengthy letter that he declined to share detailing the work of Cuban medical professionals in St. Vincent.

鈥淲e didn鈥檛 scrimp on any of the details,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 walk away from that meeting thinking that there was any possibility or threat of sanctions.鈥�

A divided region

Guyana ‘s foreign minister, Hugh Todd, told The Associated Press on Friday that the government plans to amend its payment and recruitment system involving Cuban medical professionals.

He said their main concern “is to make sure we are compliant with international labor laws.鈥� Todd did not say whether the planned amendments are related to concerns over U.S. visa restrictions.

Late Thursday, Guyanese Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo said the government wants to ensure that “the conditions of work here don鈥檛 run afoul of the requirements set by the United States of America.鈥�

Guyana depends heavily on the U.S. for support, especially given an ongoing and bitter border dispute with neighboring Venezuela.

Some Caribbean leaders have said they would risk losing a U.S. visa, noting that Cuban medical professionals provide much needed help in the region.

鈥淚f we cannot reach a sensible agreement on this matter…if the cost of it is the loss of my visa to the U.S., then so be it,鈥� Barbados鈥� Prime Minister Mia Mottley told Parliament in March as legislators pounded a table in support.

No Cuban medical workers are currently in Barbados.

Echoing Mottley鈥檚 sentiment was Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Keith Rowley.

鈥淚 just came back from California, and if I never go back there again in my life, I will ensure that the sovereignty of Trinidad and Tobago is known to its people and respected by all,鈥� he said in March.

In April, Cuban President Miguel D铆az-Canel criticized what he described as a campaign against the Caribbean country.

鈥淭here is no doubt that that desperate campaign to block Cuban cooperation has two clear objectives: to close off any avenue of income for the country, even in an activity as noble and necessary to other nations as healthcare services,鈥� he said.

鈥淭he other reason is political and ideological: they want to sweep Cuba away as an example. And they resort to methods as immoral as threatening any foreign official involved in that activity,鈥� he added.

Rubio has defended visa restrictions, saying they promote accountability.

___

Associated Press reporters Bert Wilkinson in Georgetown, Guyana, and Andrea Rodr铆guez in Havana contributed.