‘Forced labor’: Marco Rubio expands sanctions on Cuba’s doctor program

Marco Rubio demonstrates that the only constant is change. Image via AP.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced new sanctions on any individuals from Cuba involved in the communist nation’s program to export medical care to other nations, including U.S. adversaries.

“Today, we announce the expansion of an existing Cuba-related visa restriction policy that targets forced labor linked to the Cuban labor export program,” Rubio said in a statement.

Last year, former President Joe Biden’s administration imposed sanctions on third parties in other countries helping to coordinate Cuban work brigades, as reported by The Hill. Rubio’s announcement goes further.

“This expanded policy applies to current or former Cuban government officials, and other individuals, including foreign government officials, who are believed to be responsible for, or involved in, the Cuban labor export program, particularly Cuba’s overseas medical missions.”

Sanctions will apply both to anyone directly involved in the programs exporting medical labor and to members of those individuals’ immediate families.

“The Department has already taken steps to impose visa restrictions on several individuals, including Venezuelans, under this expanded policy,” Rubio said.

The sanctions will likely surprise few, as President Donald Trump has already taken a harsher stance with Cuba than Biden, including reversing a decision by the Democratic administration to remove Cuba from a list of state sponsors of terrorism.

Cuba’s doctor program has long been controversial with South Florida lawmakers, who are upset that the government exports forced labor to provide aid to nations with a hostile relationship to the U.S., like Venezuela.

Rubio, the nation’s first Latino and Cuban American Secretary of State, previously served as Florida’s U.S. Senator and has long maintained a focus on Cuba and Latin American affairs. He said continued misconduct by Cuba warranted the harsher sanctions.

“Cuba continues to profit from the forced labor of its workers and the regime’s abusive and coercive labor practices are well documented,” Rubio said.

“Cuba’s labor export programs, which include the medical missions, enrich the Cuban regime, and in the case of Cuba’s overseas medical missions, deprive ordinary Cubans of the medical care they desperately need in their home country. The United States is committed to countering forced labor practices around the globe. To do so, we must promote accountability not just for Cuban officials responsible for these policies, but also those complicit in the exploitation and forced labor of Cuban workers.”