Mass Robbery of Cuban Doctors in Venezuela

HAVANA TIMES – A criminal cell, composed of eight heavily armed men, perpetrated early Sunday morning a robbery against over a hundred Cuban doctors who were staying in a temporary camp near Caracas where they are working, reported caraotadigital.net.

According to unofficial information provided by police sources, the assault was reported after the fact through a telephone call, to the Police Investigation Unit by one of the heads of the Cuban mission – which participates in the social programs developed by the Venezuelan government.

The Cuban official told the authorities that the group of criminals had subjected the doctors at 1:00 am, under threat of death, to deliver their valuables. Mobile phones, cash and other objects were stolen during the robbery. The thieves managed to flee the site before the authorities were notified; they are still fugitives from the law.

Apparently, the crime was committed with the complicity of some informant because the temporary shelter used by the Cuban medical personnel frequently changes.

Diario de Cuba put the number of Cuban victims at 126, citing local Police sources. They noted that 38 of the Cubans had only arrived in the country hours before the robbery.

At the time of this publication no mention of the robbery has been reported in the government controlled press in Cuba.