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An independent study conducted by the Cuban Institute for Freedom of Expression and the Press (ICLEP) documents, based on direct testimonies from doctors and their families, the human, familial, and social consequences of Cuban medical missions abroad, dismantling the official narrative of "international solidarity" promoted by the regime.
The research, titled "Social Effects of Cuban Medical Missions Abroad", was developed using a mixed methodology that combined anonymous surveys and semi-structured interviews, allowing for direct evidence collection on living conditions, surveillance, political pressure, and emotional impacts on those who participated in these missions.
Among the most significant findings, ICLEP documents persistent effects on the mental health of participating doctors, tensions and fractures in family relationships, and emotional impact on children and partners due to prolonged separation.
The study also includes testimonies that describe conditions of control, surveillance, and restrictions on freedom during the fulfillment of missions, dismantling the idyllic image portrayed by the regime's official media.
"Behind the official discourse of 'international solidarity', Cuban medical missions abroad have also left a trail of family separation, emotional impacts, psychological strain, job insecurity, and deterioration of healthcare within Cuba," concludes the ICLEP in the document.
The research adds to a growing body of international evidence.
A study by Prisoners Defenders published in January 2021 analyzed 622 testimonies from Cuban doctors in 30 countries and documented that 100% reported threats from the so-called "8-Year Law," which prohibits the return to Cuba of those who leave the mission, labeling them as "deserters."
More than 50% of the doctors surveyed by Prisoners Defenders had minor children during the mission, and 31% have even younger children who have been separated for long periods, with documented emotional, cognitive, and physical disabilities.
The organization estimates that between 5,000 and 10,000 parents are currently separated from their children for up to eight years, affecting more than 40,000 Cuban families.
Individual cases illustrate the magnitude of the damage. A Cuban internist interviewed by the magazine Proceso in September 2020 defected after denouncing the manipulation of statistics and was separated from four children, including a 16-year-old with mental retardation exacerbated by the absence of a father.
In another case documented by the same outlet, the daughter of a defector doctor attempted to take her own life in February 2018; the father was denied entry to Cuba for ten hours and humanitarian visas were refused to him.
ICLEP also points out that the mass departure of professionals for missions abroad contributes to exacerbating the healthcare system crisis on the Island, with hospitals operating with a shortage of staff, medications, and basic equipment.
Internationally, the European Parliament approved Amendment 311 to its annual foreign policy report in April 2025, denouncing the Cuban brigades as "modern slavery" and "forced labor."
UN special rapporteurs had previously identified "indications of forced labor" in these missions, and the United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, labeled them as a "forced labor scheme" with "abusive and coercive labor practices," prompting since January 2025 visa restrictions on officials from receiving countries.
As a result of this pressure, by 2026, a dozen countries in the Caribbean and Central America have canceled or reduced contracts, including Guatemala, which put an end to 27 years of medical cooperation.
Mexico confirmed in March 2026 the continuation of its contracts, with estimated payments of around 100 million dollars annually to the regime.
"Beyond the propaganda, this study shows that Cuban medical missions also leave deep social repercussions, silent human costs, and new forms of vulnerability that deserve to be exposed and debated," concludes ICLEP, inviting journalists, researchers, and human rights organizations to consult the full document.
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