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Guyana afraid to speak up against U.S. threat of sanctions over Cuban doctors because of Exxon—GHRA

Mar 17, 2025 News

Kaieteur News- The Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) said that United States (US) oil giant ExxonMobil’s de facto ownership of Guyana’s oil is restricting this country’s ability to stand up for itself on the matter of US’ Cuba policy.

The GHRA’s comments come days after several Caribbean countries have taken a strong stance against the US policy on Cuban health workers, threatening to sanction countries who benefit from the brigade. “More recently, the Trump administration’s   bullying tactic has extended to English-speaking Caribbean countries being ‘ordered’ to deport Cuban medical personnel who for decades have constituted the backbone of medical services in these territories,” the association said.

The statement highlighted that Guyana has not only benefitted from medical volunteers but majority of Guyana’s medical practitioners have been educated in Cuba. The GHRA noted that, Trinidad, Barbados and St. Vincent political leaders have acknowledged their debt to Cuba and made it clear to the US that they will not be deporting any Cuban medical personnel.  Ms. Mia Mottley, the Bajan Prime Minister stated she was prepared to risk restrictions on her right to travel to the US in retaliation for resisting the dictates of that country. Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, PM of St. Vincent noted 60 of his nationals would die within a week if deprived of the medical dialysis attention provided by the Cuban doctors.”

The association is of the belief that Guyana is facing a greater risk than other Caribbean territories of offending the US in light of the importance of their support over the threat of invasion from Venezuela.

To ensure continued peace for Guyana and the rest of the world ways need to be found to ensure that “principled politics can be protected and flourish in the domestic realm. The alternative, namely, going along with disreputable solutions is to join a game which the current US administration is far better placed to win,” the statement further said.

It was reported on March 16 that the Government of Guyana has written to the Trump administration about its policy on the hiring of Cuban medical professionals, enquiring whether there are specific issues the United States of America wants to be addressed. President Irfaan Ali made this disclosure on Saturday on the side-lines of the launch of the Healthcare Voucher at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.

He was asked by the media to state his government’s position on the U.S. threats to sanction governments, officials and their families should they hire persons through the Cuba labour export programme. The President made it clear that every country has its own policy on matters, adding, “We have already responded to the U.S. through our official channels. That is, whatever workers we have here, whether it’s from Cuba, India… you know we have health care workers from all over, from Africa, from India, from Cuba…that they fall under the same labour laws, local labour laws and international labour laws.”

Further, the Guyanese leader emphasized that his government has asked the U.S. to identify specific issues they would like to be addressed and efforts will be made to do so collaboratively. “…because the U.S., as you know, is a very important partner also for Guyana and we work closely together on many issues,” President Ali told reporters. The Head-of-State said while he has not seen the contract for the Cuban Medical Brigade to know when it expires, all the persons working in Guyana are subject to local and international laws. He said too that the U.S. has been assured of this and the benefits the health workers receive.

(Guyana afraid to speak up against U.S. threat of sanctions over Cuban doctors because of Exxon—GHRA)

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