US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday criticized South Africa and Qatar for "accepting" the arrival of doctors from Cuba to fight the coronavirus, accusing the communist island of exploiting the pandemic.
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Cuba has long established the export of medical services, which is one of the engines of its economy, but also, with its doctors dispatched to the four corners of the planet, a diplomatic tool of choice. "We have noticed how the Havana regime is taking advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic to continue to exploit Cuban caregivers , " said Mike Pompeo at a press conference in Washington.
"We salute the leaders of Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia and other countries who have refused to turn a blind eye to these abuses by the Cuban regime, and we call on all countries to do the same , especially places like South Africa and Qatar, " he added. “Governments that accept Cuban doctors must pay them directly. Otherwise, when they pay the regime, they help the Cuban government to profit from trafficking in human beings, "he insisted.
South Africa, which has good relations with the United States, as well as Qatar, announced Monday the arrival of 217 Cuban doctors in the country, the most affected by the coronavirus in Africa. Cuba has sent doctors to more than a dozen countries since the start of the pandemic, including Italy. France has authorized Cuban teams to help it in its overseas territories.