April 8 (UPI) -- The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights issued a formal warning over serious labor and human rights violations in Cuba's overseas medical brigades, saying some cases may amount to forced labor or "contemporary forms of slavery."
The report released Tuesday, is based on 71 testimonies from former brigade members and a review of Cuban regulations against international standards. It identifies recurring practices affecting wages, professional mobility, working conditions and personal life.
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights said it does not consider these testimonies isolated cases. The report itself warns that a "widespread fear of reprisals" limits access to additional complaints and reflects the coercive environment in which brigade professionals carry out their work.
Cuba launched its international medical missions in 1963. Since then, the program has grown into what the report describes as the country's main source of state revenue, based on exporting health services through bilateral agreements with host countries.
According to official figures cited by the commission, human health and social care services generated $4.882 billion in 2022, a 12% increase from the previous year and accounting for 69% of total service exports. Those revenues were nearly four times higher than exports of goods.
