Ecuador

Executive summary

Cuba's medical cooperation in Ecuador began in 1992, expanding through the Henry Reeve Contingent and Operación Milagro, until Ecuador declined to renew six health agreements in November 2019 following the unauthorized entry of nearly 250 Cuban nationals holding official passports, prompting the final brigade's withdrawal that month; the mission has remained inactive since, with zero active personnel and no deployment during COVID-19. Documented testimonies reveal passport retention, mandatory residence, restricted movement, forced sale of Heberprot-P, and falsified medical statistics, alongside surveillance and required political engagement. Behind the white coats, a system of controlled bodies and silenced voices. Humanitarian aid became, for many, an instrument of state control.

Mission data

Research profile