Latin America

Brazil Says No Problem Replacing Cubans for its More Doctors Program

The Ministry of Health of Brazil said today that it has already filled 84 percent of the more than 8,000 vacancies for doctors announced a few days after Cuba announced its pulling out from the cooperation program “More Doctors” . A total of “7,154 professionals are already located in the municipalities for immediate action,” the ministry said in a statement.

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Cuba’s 8,000+ Doctors Begin Bye Bye Brazil

The more than 8,000 Cubans who work in Brazil as part of the “More Doctors” cooperation program are being asked to leave the country between now and December 12th, according to the Pan American Health Organization. Nonethless, a portion of the MDs will try to remain in Brazil under individual contracts and better working conditions.

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What’s Happening at the Tijuana Migrant Camp

Although some migrants arrived earlier, the bulk of the Hondurans arrived just five days ago. The camp is in Zona Norte, on the north end of Tijuana, in a sports facility. The early arrivals were lucky to get floor space inside of the gymnasium where is it dry, safe and quiet. The more recent arrivals are camped in the soccer field… (36 photos)

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Brazilian City Offers Health Secretariat to Cuban MD

A small city in southern Brazil has offered a Cuban doctor to fill the position of local health secretary to avoid leaving the country, after the Cuban government announced the end of its participation in the cooperation program “Mas Medicos” in the South American giant.

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Cuba Loses its Lucrative Business Leasing Doctors to Brazil

The Cuban government announced today its withdrawal from the “More Doctors” program in Brazil, alleging that president-elect Jair Bolsonaro wants to change the conditions and directly hire doctors without the intermediation of the Cuban state. No date was given as to when the pull-out will occur.

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Brazil Swings to the Far Right as Bolsonaro Wins Presidency

As widely predicted, Jair Bolsonaro is the new president of Brazil after Sunday’s balloting. The controversial ultra-rightist was elected to head the largest economy in Latin America with 55.54 percent of the votes in the second round runoff, according to the official results with 94.67 of the votes counted.

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Bolsonaro, the “Brazilian Trump” Favorite to Win Sunday’s Elections

He praises the dictatorship of decades past and has insulted blacks, women and sexual minorities, but right-wing populist Jair Bolsonaro has a good chance of being elected on Sunday as president of Brazil. The controversial former 63-year-old Army captain, is the favorite to win the runoff election against leftist Fernando Haddad, 55, of the Worker’s Party (PT).

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How Sad To Be a Central American Today

A few weeks ago, my friend Balam Rodrigo, a brilliant Central American poet from Chiapas, and myself went to visit the Immigration Center in Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico, more or less near the US-border. We were received by Father Pedro Pantoja, a man who has dedicated a great part of his life to defending and protecting immigrants. (10 photos)

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