United States warns that Uruguay could lose cooperation if it appears again over Cuban medical missions

Uruguay was added by the United States to its annual report on possible human trafficking cases associated with Cuban medical missions, and that situation could have consequences for bilateral cooperation if it is repeated next year.

According to Búsqueda, sources at the U.S. Embassy said that if the country is mentioned again in the 2027 edition, it will be ineligible to receive international assistance from the State Department. The diplomatic mission explained that the budget law approved by the U.S. Congress in February 2026, in section 7045, requires the publication of an annual report on these cases and prohibits such assistance to countries or entities included for two consecutive years.

According to the embassy, Uruguay appeared for the first time in the 2026 report because payments for the work of Cuban doctors are made directly to the Cuban Embassy and there is no evidence that those professionals receive compensation for the care they provide in Uruguay.

The issue had been mentioned on Tuesday the 8th by journalist Gabriel Pereyra on Informativo Sarandí, where he said the State Department had informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense of its concern over the hiring of Cuban doctors for the Eye Hospital. He also stated that Donald Trump’s government will suspend all military aid to Uruguay if that agreement continues.

Asked that same day, Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkin said at a press conference that the government had received “no official communication from the United States on this specific issue,” although he added that it is one of the matters under discussion between the two countries.

Lubetkin also defended the work of the Cuban ophthalmologists and said, in remarks quoted by la diaria, that their experience in Uruguay has been “extraordinary.” He said they have done “very good things” and that the government will seek to preserve them within a framework of agreement and dialogue.

The U.S. Embassy also recalled, according to Búsqueda, that the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights published a report in April stating that Cuban medical missions “frequently violate labor standards.” Sources at Uruguay’s Foreign Ministry told that outlet that several countries with this type of program said they comply with their labor legislation and that there is no coercion on participants. In Uruguay’s case, they added, there were no comments because the country was only mentioned in passing and received no specific recommendations.

Sources

• Búsqueda

About this note. Written by El Notero with assistance from artificial intelligence, based on what was published by the cited outlet. El Notero did not conduct its own reporting on this fact.