Cuban authorities said they had arrested 17 people on charges related to a ring of human traffickers that allegedly lured young Cuban men to serve in the Russian military amid the Ukraine conflict.
I didn’t read the article, but consider the fact that Cuba is a country many people want to leave. Then a guy comes along saying “Hey, we’ll give you Russian citizenship and you can leave”. Even if they agree, it’s predatory
As of January 14, 2013, all Cuban government-imposed travel restrictions and controls have been abolished. Since that date, any Cuban citizen, with a valid passport, can leave the country at will, without let or hindrance from the Cuban authorities.
Thanks for sharing, I didn’t know that. I still had the “from Cuba to Florida on a raft” image of the situation. Still, wouldn’t that leave poverty as the main barrier?
Yes, the cost of a passport (charged by the Cuban government) is now a barrier. Also, they may not allow you to leave if you are a doctor, baseball player, communist official, etc.
So yes, people can “leave” now if they have a lot of money and permission from the government. It’s nothing like a free country.
I wouldn’t trust the country that tried to assassinate Cuba’s leader, overthrow their government and organized terrorist attacks in its land to have valid criticisms for Cuba.
Health workers may also face criminal penalties if they “abandon” their jobs.
This sounds bad, but then again they’re on a foreign mission, with their country’s reputation on the line. A considerable amount of health workers abandoning their jobs might make the mission infeasible, which could create diplomatic issues for Cuba. Also, I wonder if that’s the case on soldiers (American or otherwise) on foreign missions. I would expect that they can’t abandon their jobs without penalty, and I don’t see how this is that different.
it is considered a “disciplinary offense” to have “relationships” with anyone whose “actions are not consistent with the principles and values of the Cuban society,” as well as to be “friends or establish any other links” with Cuban dissidents, people who have “hostile or contrary views to the Cuban revolution,” or who are “promoters of a way of life contrary to the principles that a Cuban collaborator abroad must represent.”
Again, these seem restrictions that would apply on soldiers on foreign missions, so it doesn’t seem weird to me that they apply to Cuba’s medical missions.
Under Resolution 168, doctors need “authorization and instructions” to “express opinions” to the media about “internal situations in the workplace” or that “put the Cuban collaboration at risk.” It is also an offense to “disseminate or propagate opinions or rumors that undermine the morals or prestige of the group or any of its members.”
I believe Cuba wouldn’t need to enforce this if they weren’t under -economic- siege by the US and their allies. What the doctors do or say on the missions could be the start of a diplomatic incident.
Others said they joined in the hope of leaving the country or of obtaining access to food, such as meat, which they cannot buy with their salaries in Cuba.
I can’t help but wonder if meat would be cheaper in Cuba without the embargo against them.
I’m confused, the human trafficking implies those people didn’t consent but ij the article they call them mercenaries for hire. Which is it?
Because in Cuba it is illegal to have mercenary groups, Cuba doesn’t do this.
On top of that they want no hand in this mess Russia made for themselves. So they’re prosecuting aggressively in response.
“DEPENDING ON the severity and type of crimes…”
I Guess they are unsure if they went willingly
I didn’t read the article, but consider the fact that Cuba is a country many people want to leave. Then a guy comes along saying “Hey, we’ll give you Russian citizenship and you can leave”. Even if they agree, it’s predatory
Is Cuba really that horrible a place that their citizens think Russia is an improvement?
Human traffickers tend to not be very honest.
But there’s a reason why Cuban citizens can’t leave the country legally (it’s not the free healthcare).
As of January 14, 2013, all Cuban government-imposed travel restrictions and controls have been abolished. Since that date, any Cuban citizen, with a valid passport, can leave the country at will, without let or hindrance from the Cuban authorities.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Cuba#:~:text=As of January 14%2C 2013,hindrance from the Cuban authorities.
Thanks for sharing, I didn’t know that. I still had the “from Cuba to Florida on a raft” image of the situation. Still, wouldn’t that leave poverty as the main barrier?
Yes, the cost of a passport (charged by the Cuban government) is now a barrier. Also, they may not allow you to leave if you are a doctor, baseball player, communist official, etc.
So yes, people can “leave” now if they have a lot of money and permission from the government. It’s nothing like a free country.
They use their doctors as educated slave labor:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-cuba-trafficking-idUSKBN1WC00X
https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/07/23/cuba-repressive-rules-doctors-working-abroad
I wouldn’t trust the country that tried to assassinate Cuba’s leader, overthrow their government and organized terrorist attacks in its land to have valid criticisms for Cuba.
This sounds bad, but then again they’re on a foreign mission, with their country’s reputation on the line. A considerable amount of health workers abandoning their jobs might make the mission infeasible, which could create diplomatic issues for Cuba. Also, I wonder if that’s the case on soldiers (American or otherwise) on foreign missions. I would expect that they can’t abandon their jobs without penalty, and I don’t see how this is that different.
Again, these seem restrictions that would apply on soldiers on foreign missions, so it doesn’t seem weird to me that they apply to Cuba’s medical missions.
I believe Cuba wouldn’t need to enforce this if they weren’t under -economic- siege by the US and their allies. What the doctors do or say on the missions could be the start of a diplomatic incident.
I can’t help but wonder if meat would be cheaper in Cuba without the embargo against them.
With a valid passport…
No.
Yes
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