The U.S. Department of State has announced the revocation of visas and the imposition of visa restrictions on several Brazilian government officials, former Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) officials, and their family members. The action targets those involved in the Mais Médicos program for what the U.S. describes as complicity with Cuba's labor export scheme.
According to the Department of State, these officials were responsible for or involved in abetting a scheme that exploited Cuban medical workers through forced labor. The statement asserts that this arrangement enriched the Cuban regime and deprived Cuban citizens of necessary medical care.
The Mais Médicos program used PAHO as an intermediary between Brazil and Cuba to implement the initiative. The Department claims that by doing so, those involved bypassed Brazilian constitutional requirements, avoided U.S. sanctions on Cuba, and knowingly transferred funds owed to Cuban medical workers directly to the Cuban regime.
The Department of State said that dozens of Cuban doctors who participated in the program reported exploitation by Cuban authorities as part of their involvement.
Specific individuals named in this action include Mozart Julio Tabosa Sales and Alberto Kleiman, both former employees at Brazil’s Ministry of Health during the Mais Médicos program. According to the Department: "Our action sends an unmistakable message that the United States promotes accountability for those who enable the Cuban regime’s forced labor export scheme."