More than 150 Cuban doctors demonstrated in front of the Congress of Deputies in Madrid to demand a response regarding the prolonged delay in the recognition of their university degrees.
The protest was organized by the Cuban Homologations Movement in Spain, with the support of the Association of Cuban Doctors in Spain, and represents the second action of this kind.
The protesters were attended to by MEPs from the Popular Party (PP). Pedro Navarro, spokesperson for the Ministry of Universities in Congress, declared that they have once again requested the appearance of Minister Diana Morant to explain the delays, especially in the cases of Cubans and Venezuelans.
Navarro stated that the data indicates that Argentine citizens are undergoing a significantly faster homologation process, suggesting diplomatic pressures that could be affecting the situation of Cuban professionals.
Elvira Velazco, vice president of the Health Commission of the PP, described the situation as unsustainable and assured that they will continue to present parliamentary initiatives to address this problem.
Pedro Almiral Carbonel, a doctor graduated in 1999, has been in Spain for two years and is currently unemployed. Yesalin Quiroz Méndez, who arrived two and a half years ago, has been forced to work as a waitress while waiting for the validation of her degree.
Luis Enrique Vega Hernández, who also participated in the protest, expressed his discontent with working in jobs for which he is not qualified.
The protest aims not only to highlight the serious discrimination that Cuban and Venezuelan professionals face, but also to denounce the "arbitrary paralysis" of the homologation processes that has occurred in the last year.
It is also framed within a context of increasing pressure on the Spanish government to expedite these procedures, especially after the recent call from the Minister of Health of the Community of Madrid, Fátima Matute, who urged the relevant ministries to act more swiftly.
This problem, which affects thousands of professionals trained in Cuba and other countries, has led to various mobilizations in the past.
Last April, doctors from different countries residing in Spain protested, considering that "it is unacceptable to prolong the suffering of Cuban doctors fleeing a dictatorship."
Ponce Morales, who has been practicing in Spain for 27 years, highlighted that this problem affects all doctors facing difficulties with the homologation process, and mentioned that some homologation processes have taken up to 7 years, during which professionals are forced to work in jobs unrelated to their training, which is especially alarming given the shortage of medical personnel in Spain that affects nearly 500,000 patients.
Dariel Llanes, a member of the Cuban Homologations Movement in Spain, emphasized that the demonstration is not against the country that welcomed them, but for a legitimate right protected by law. He reported that Cuban homologations in Spain have come to a standstill.
Despite the fact that the law stipulates a maximum period of six months for recognition, the average waiting times are around two years. During that time, doctors must survive by working in cafeterias, restaurants, and other jobs that have nothing to do with their training.
The Iranian pediatrician Rami Ahmadi, president of the Fair Homologation Now movement, emphasized that the delay in resolving more than 100,000 cases has a significant impact on the Spanish economy, especially given the post-pandemic health crisis.
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