“Thank you for listening to my story and giving it a voice”. With those words, Cuban doctor Yohana Arronte expressed her gratitude to Sarah B. Rogers, U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy, after sharing with her a experience shaped by her time in Cuba's medical brigades, her escape, and the hope of starting a new life in freedom.
The message from Arronte, published on Wednesday on X, gained new relevance this Monday when Rogers publicly highlighted his meeting with the Cuban doctor and took the opportunity to denounce the exploitative conditions that, according to Washington, thousands of workers sent abroad by the Havana government face.
Beyond the political accusations, Yohana's words depict what it meant for her to arrive in the United States. She did not speak of grand aspirations or privileges, but rather of something as ordinary as being able to raise her children without fear and regain control over her own life.
“For me, the United States represented hope: the opportunity to live freely, raise my children without fear, and rebuild my life. I will always be grateful for that opportunity,” wrote the doctor.
His gratitude didn't end there. Arronte remembered those who are still involved in the Cuban medical missions and have not had the chance to share their experiences: “Many Cuban doctors are still waiting for their voices to be heard.”
Rogers' public response came five days later. The official expressed her satisfaction at having met the Cuban woman, whom she described as an advocate for those who have survived the conditions reported in the medical brigades.
"Proud to have met Dr. Yohana Arronte, a defender of the survivors of the Cuban medical brigades," wrote the undersecretary before directing her criticism at the government of the Island.
Rogers stated that Cuban authorities exploit the work of their citizens abroad to generate income and claimed that over 15,000 workers, many of them healthcare professionals, have been sent to more than 50 countries under forced labor conditions.
The senior official also warned that the Donald Trump administration will not tolerate state-sponsored human trafficking in the hemisphere and attributed the leadership of Secretary of State Marco Rubio to several countries breaking their ties with the Cuban mission program.
Rogers' words are preceded by the testimony she shared last Wednesday, when she recounted some of the most challenging episodes in Arronte's life.
She reported that the Cuban was sent abroad as part of a medical brigade after receiving just 10 months of training.
The undersecretary stated that her family never received the salary promised by the Cuban authorities and that, after escaping from the mission, her relatives faced threats.
One of the most distressing details of that account was the physical condition of the young woman when she received help. According to Rogers, she weighed only 80 pounds, approximately 36 kilograms, when she was rescued.
The official also mentioned that, during their conversation, she wanted to know what Yohana had thought about the United States before leaving Cuba.
The response she received was simple: for her, that country (the U.S.) had always represented "the one hope."
The doctor has brought her experience to other dialogue spaces with U.S. representatives. In September, she also met with Juan Pablo Segura, an official from the Department of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, before whom she defended the right of Cuban professionals to decide their own fate.
"We deserve the freedom to choose where to work, where to live, and what to say," Arronte stated, in a declaration that summarizes the demands he is now bringing back to the forefront.
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