International Organization for Migration helps Cuban woman return from Mexico after experiencing health complications

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) helped a Cuban woman with difficulties in walking and speaking return from Tapachula, Mexico, to the island, through a transfer that included medical accompaniment and a wheelchair donated by the International Red Cross

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Mexico reported on the case of a migrant whose return required special care, close support, and the activation of a protocol for individuals with medical complications.

"Her return home required not only coordination but also special care and close support throughout the entire process," explained the organization in a Facebook post, accompanied by photographs of the woman during the travel preparations.

Through the Assisted Voluntary Return Program (RVA), the IOM coordinated his transfer and arranged for a medical escort to ensure that he could travel safely and with dignity to Cuba.

The operation also involved the collaboration of the Regional Delegation for Mexico of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which contributed by donating a wheelchair.

"We thank the CICR Regional Delegation Mexico for their invaluable collaboration and for joining efforts to make this return possible," stated the IOM.

The organization did not specify what health issue the Cuban suffered from, how long she had been in Mexican territory, or the exact date of her return. It also did not provide details about her current state of health.

The assisted voluntary return is a support mechanism for migrants who choose to return to their countries of origin, providing logistical, administrative assistance, and, when circumstances require it, medical accompaniment.

According to data published in March 2026 by the Mexican newspaper Diario del Sur, the IOM had facilitated the voluntary return of 435 migrants of various nationalities from Mexico between October 2025 and mid-March of this year. Of these, 31 individuals returned from the Aztec country to Cuba.

The case occurs in a context of uncertainty for many Cubans who remain on Mexican territory. In Tapachula, a border city with Guatemala, migrants from the island have reported economic difficulties, problems in regularizing their status, and obstacles to continuing their journey to the United States.

Although the IOM did not disclose the circumstances that led this woman to embark on her migration process, her story reflects one of the most vulnerable situations that migrants can face: suffering health problems away from their home country and needing specialized assistance to return home.