The president Miguel Díaz-Canel signed the Presidential Decree 1289 on September 7, which grants the to Cuban citizens who have performed internationalist missions in an exemplary and selfless manner.
In light of this situation, he awarded the decoration to ten Cuban workers belonging to the National Union of Workers in Education, Science, and Sports (SNTECD). The text was published this Wednesday in the , on pages 15 and 16.
The proposal for the award originated from the Secretary General of the Cuban Workers Central (CTC), who is also responsible, according to the second article of the decree, for imposing and delivering the decoration to each of the honorees.
The medal recognizes Cuban citizens who have completed internationalist missions lasting more than one year—or, in exceptional cases, six months or more—in the fields of production, services, science, technology, education, culture, health, and sports.
The decree expressly cites the regulatory framework that governs the distinction: the , approved on September 24, 2025, which integrates this medal into the state system of decorations alongside 20 orders, 24 medals, and eight distinctions.
The ten awardees come from two provinces: four from Havana — Yaite Machado Medero, Yudith Ramírez Guzmán, Aisy Magaña Coba, and José Ernesto Valdés Serrano — and six from Cienfuegos — Yisel Herrera Martínez, Yirka Julves Álvarez, Gladys García Sánchez, José Antonio Ramírez Jiménez, Lesby José Domínguez Fonseca, and Edel Lache García.
The decree states that the honor is awarded "in recognition of the responsibility and work carried out during the fulfillment of their internationalist mission," without specifying the country or countries where the workers provided their services.
The Extraordinary Gaceta No. 16 of 2026 is entirely dedicated to presidential decrees for decorations and includes five other regulations: Presidential Decree 1282, which grants the Order "For Sports Merit"; 1283, the Medal "Of Friendship"; 1284, the Medal "For the Defense of the Homeland and Neighborhood Unity"; 1287, the Medal "Jesús Menéndez"; and 1286, the Medal "Labor Achievement."
The Presidential Decree 1289 is not the first one in 2026 to grant this distinction: the had already awarded it to 215 workers from the National Union of Health Workers, which reflects the recurring use of this recognition mechanism for Cuban personnel deployed abroad.
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