A video published by the Hotel Nacional de Cuba showcasing the graduation ceremony of foreign medical students in the iconic Salón 1930 has sparked significant controversy on social media, where many Cubans compared that setting to the conditions under which they themselves received their university degrees.
In the post, the hotel described the event as "a source of pride" and emphasized that the new doctors, coming from "various regions of the world", completed nearly seven years of training in Cuba. The images depict a ceremony in a beautifully decorated hall, with white drapes, special lighting, and the graduates dressed in white coats along with black and gold stoles.
However, rather than focusing on the tribute to the students, much of the commentary turned into a debate about the contrast between the treatment received by foreigners and the experiences of thousands of Cuban professionals.
"Cuba, the only country in the world where a foreigner is valued more than a national. I graduated in a square under the sun. In short, things of the utopia," wrote a user.
Another graduate recalled the conditions of her ceremony: "I graduated under the three o'clock sun in a plaza, where we were all sweating; they didn't even give us gowns, we had to buy them ourselves."
The comparisons multiplied among Cuban doctors and other professionals who described ceremonies very different from the one showcased by the Hotel Nacional.
"Cubans graduate at the Ciudad Deportiva under the sun," commented an internet user.
A doctor recalled that he received his diploma "in a rundown theater with unbearable heat" and that, due to the lack of space, "they tossed me the diploma" instead of handing it to him.
Another graduate stated that she had spent hours in an open area "listening to a heavy dose of political propaganda."
Among the hundreds of comments, one phrase summed up the feelings of many users: "In Cuba, we have always been the streetlight, the darkness of the house. That's how it goes for us."
Not all reactions were critical. Users from various countries expressed their gratitude for the training received in Cuba.
A citizen of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines wrote: "We express our gratitude to the government and people of Cuba for their support to our students in achieving their aspirations."
Some Cubans also defended the attention given to foreign students, although they believed that the authorities should extend the same level of recognition to national graduates.
The debate comes amid the crisis in the healthcare sector
The controversy coincides with a particularly difficult time for healthcare professionals on the island.
This month, the Government established through Resolution 17/2026 the basic salary of a newly graduated doctor at 7,045 Cuban pesos per month, an amount that, based on the informal exchange rate, is equivalent to about 16 dollars and which many professionals consider insufficient to meet their basic needs.
The discomfort also arises in a context of growing discontent within the sector. In June, a video of a Colombian doctor residing in Havana showcasing the comforts of his accommodation —including breakfasts, a gym, and better living conditions— sparked a wave of similar criticisms among Cuban doctors.
Days later, foreign medical students in Santiago de Cuba held a pot-banging protest after being without electricity in their residences for over 24 hours, while Cuban students reported in various provinces about the poor study conditions.
The controversy reignited this Thursday when Dr. Juan Carlos Villares, who has nearly three decades of experience at the Hospital de Morón in Ciego de Ávila, published a message directed to the National Assembly in which he called for solutions to "the impossibility of a working people to live from the fruits of their labor."
Beyond the ceremony, the video from the Hotel Nacional reignited a recurring debate among Cubans: the perception that the State provides better conditions and recognition to foreign visitors and students than to its own professionals.
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