Cuban doctors file $129M lawsuit alleging forced labor in Brazil

A group of Cuban doctors has filed a $129 million lawsuit in Washington, D.C., alleging they were victims of human trafficking and forced labor under the Cuban government. The plaintiffs claim that between 2013 and 2018, approximately 3,500 doctors were sent to Brazil as part of medical missions. While the Cuban regime reportedly earned over $2.3 billion from these services, the doctors allege they received less than 10 percent of their earnings.

The lawsuit targets the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), describing it as the financial intermediary that charged the Cuban government a 5 percent handling fee. The plaintiffs assert that PAHO acted as the “creator, manager, and enforcer” of an enterprise that facilitated these conditions.

According to the legal filings, the doctors were subjected to constant surveillance by Cuban intelligence and were allegedly pressured to spy on their host country. They also claim they were threatened with non-payment if they left their missions and were prohibited from returning to Cuba for eight years. In some instances, the doctors allege their families in Cuba were held hostage to ensure compliance.