Guyana

Executive summary

Cuba's medical cooperation with Guyana, formally spanning 1976 to 2026 under the Programa Integral de Salud and Operación Milagro, ended when Guyana pursued direct-hire contracts under international labour standards, prompting Cuba to unilaterally withdraw all remaining brigadistas. Personnel figures fluctuated inconsistently across years (219 in 2015, dropping to 170, rising to 240 by 2024), reflecting documented pressure to falsify medical statistics. Testimonies confirm passport confiscation, imposed curfews, surveillance, denial of signed contracts, and workweeks exceeding 64 hours, alongside mandated political mobilization. Ninety-five percent of testimonies cite exploitation; eighty percent confirm falsified medical records. A mission built on labor scarcity became, instead, a mechanism of servitude.

Mission data

Research profile