Uncertainty Grows Over Cuban Personnel in Venezuela
The military escalation casts doubt on the future of Cuban medical brigades in Venezuela, an important income source for the government.
HAVANA TIMES — From the early hours of this Saturday, when the United States intervention in Venezuela became known, one of the questions that began circulating in Cuba was what will happen to the Cuban doctors who remain on mission in that country. The Ministry of Public Health assured, in a brief message circulated on social media, that all collaborators are safe. Nevertheless, beyond that official statement, the immediate future of one of the Cuban regime’s main sources of foreign currency remains undefined.
After the military action took place, a retired nurse from Havana told this newspaper that a colleague in Venezuela assured her that “they have the Cubans from the missions confined to their quarters.”
In addition, a doctor assigned to Caracas told 14ymedio that, despite the calming messages conveyed by her coordinators, nervousness is evident: “The bosses keep saying that everything is fine and that we have to wait for what Havana says, but they are very nervous.” At that moment, the US president was about to begin a press conference from his residence at Mar-a-Lago, in Florida. “I can’t talk much because we’re all trying to listen to Trump’s speech, but what I can tell you is that it makes me nervous that I’m about to finish my mission and I already bought the kids’ clothes—imagine if they move us somewhere else and I can’t take anything with me.”
Another Cuban collaborator, from Zulia, commented that “everything is calm in the streets, but there are people who are very happy.” Several Venezuelan reporters, who maintained a live broadcast on X for more than ten hours, also reported crowds forming at markets and gas stations to buy supplies, amid fears of business closures.
The anxiety has been strongly reflected on social media, especially in the comments responding to the official call for a demonstration at the Anti-Imperialist Tribune. In that digital space, numerous users demanded that the safety of medical personnel and their return to the Island be prioritized. “They are not soldiers; they deserve to be with their families,” wrote one participant. Other messages expressed anxiety and irritation over the lack of foresight. “Now they have the families of those who are there going crazy here,” reads another comment.
However, not all opinions align. There are also messages defending the permanence of the brigades in Venezuela and arguing that, in a context of crisis, the doctors’ work is even more necessary. “In this imminent war, Cuban health brigadistas in Venezuela will be even more necessary,” states one comment, appealing to the continuity of the mission as part of a political commitment built over many years.
Beyond these opposing positions, a possible interruption of medical missions in Venezuela would have direct consequences for Cuba’s already fragile economy. Amid inflation, shortages, and the deterioration of basic services, the loss of one of its main sources of hard-currency income would deepen the internal crisis.
Although Cuban authorities say they are maintaining constant communication with the mission, so far no plans for relocation, shelter, or return to Cuba have been made public, nor has it been explained what would happen if the conflict intensifies.
The presence of Cuban health personnel in Venezuela dates back more than two decades and has been central both to the political relationship between the two governments and to the Island’s economy. Through these agreements, the Cuban state receives significant revenues, while professionals work under state contracts that limit their pay and personal lives.
Independent organizations have for years denounced the labor conditions of these missions, including the withholding of salaries, political control, and restrictions on personal freedom. In a scenario of military intervention and heightened regional tension, those denunciations take on an even more critical dimension.
First published in Spanish by 14ymedio and translated and posted in English by Havana Times.