Cuba’s historic medical aid campaign cited as governments debate alleged genocide

Cuba has a long‑standing policy, dating from the 1959 Revolution, of sending medical brigades and humanitarian assistance to nations hit by natural disasters or conflict, regardless of the recipient’s political system. Examples include aid after Chile’s earthquakes in 1960 and 1971, blood donations and construction of hospitals in Peru after the 1970 quake, a medical team to newly independent Algeria in 1963, and rapid deployment of blood, medicines and personnel to Nicaragua following the 1972 earthquake despite the U.S.–backed Somoza regime. Cuban assistance has also reached Vietnam, Central America during the 1980s floods, Pakistan after the 1996 quake, China, many African countries, Venezuela, Brazil and others. The Escuela Latinoamericana de Medicina (ELAM), opened in 1999, has trained more than 12,000 doctors from about 50 nations, including the United States.

The articles question whether the international community will allow what they describe as an “aggressive and inhumane” policy that could lead to a genocide against Cuba, urging governments to consider the country’s extensive contributions to global health and solidarity.