There is no way to qualify the harshness of the now over forty-year blockade imposed by the US against the Cuban people since their successful socialist revolution in 1959. It is a hydra with many tentacles.

In the wake of the debacle that was the failed mercenary invasion known as the Bay of Pigs in 1961, the Kennedy administration instituted a ubiquitous but at first vague embargo that covered all aspects of normal exchange between nations. It was legalized under the so-called Torricelli Act. There came immediate restrictions on travel between the two countries as well as all forms of consumer items. The ban spread to those from other nations that had import and export licenses issued by Washington and thus could be enforced through penalties against those countries.

This soon spread to include farm supplies, cultural exchanges and just about all forms of visitation between the nations. Cubana airlines were barred from US airports and similar restrictions were placed on those carriers that tried to circumvent the ban by traveling circuitously through other air lanes. The travel restraints affected families that were living apart from before and after the revolution in both countries, the performing and display arts and athletes from US-based international meets. Over the years, with the passing of time and other administrations, the ban became vaguely relaxed at times. But it was not a coincidence that as every presidential election year rolled around, and as the Miami-Cuban community voiced its concerns and political conservatism, the regulations tightened. The Elian Gonzalez fracas in the late 1990s flared the issue all over again, as well as many other failed attempts by mercenary groups to interfere with the budding Cuban economy.

During all this time, despite the severity that forced Cuba to seek goods and merchandise from other nations, Cuba’s economy inched forward and managed to survive in a very hostile atmosphere. As significant, the embargo included Cuba’s denial from access to the world’s financial machinery such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that was under the strictest of controls of Wall Street and other US banking interests. Still, Cuba progressed and became the marvel of the world community in many respects.

But none of the prohibitions was more heinous than that of the banning of an exchange between the two countries’ medical professionals. Since the time of Hippocrates, doctors the world over met and shared their scientific knowledge that was the linchpin for world medical progress. When one nation perfected research that resulted in a new medication, treatment technique or equipment, it was automatically shared. Cuba was denied such paths by Helms-Burton. There are many examples of a denial of information and even medications that were only available in either Cuba or the US and the US shamefully refused to barter. Patients in both countries became victims of that cruelty.

In 1999, in the wake of the hurricanes Mitch and George, much of Central America was devastated. Cuba’s prolific health care industry offered unprecedented aid. Under the impetus of President Fidel Castro and its Ministry of Health (MINSAP), Cuba sent many thousands of doctors and nurses to the hurricane-ravaged nations, a practice that was not new to MINSAP. Over those prior decades, thousands more had been sent to many parts of the 3rd world on similar missions of mercy.

As a part of this enterprise, MINSAP opened its doors to one of its medical schools and started a training program for physicians from those other nations. Cuba had always boasted, properly so, of having training programs and schools that provided the Cuban people with the world’s optimal doctor to patient ratio. Within a year, over 5000 students were enrolled in the new Latin American Medical School (LAMS) from countries in Africa and South and Central America. Its purpose was singular— to provide medical doctors to those areas of the undeveloped world in need. The program was under the strict auspices of MINSAP at full scholarship that included tuition, room, board and all needed school supplies and services.

By that next year, a remarkable event took place. A chance meet between President Castro and members of the Congressional Black Caucus made them both aware of the plight of medical professionals in many indigent neighborhoods in the United States. A committee was formed and within a year, many tens of candidates enrolled with one commitment — to return after their studies to those deprived sectors in the US. MINSAP has allowed for up to 500 US students. That program is now going into its fourth year with pending preparation for their return home and US medical board exams.

In June 2004, under the demands of the nefarious administration of President-select Bush, the agency in charge of international personnel licensing at the US Treasury Department issued the most stringent regulations that enlarges Helms-Burton. Suspect is that the Bush coterie is again pandering to the Miami-based Cuban cabal in preparing for this election year onslaught in Florida. Visitation rights of Cuban families that even enjoyed some direct US-Havana flights this past year were cut from yearly to every three years. Allowances for monies to be sent to Cuban families from relatives now living in the US were slashed, as well as the amount allowed each visitor to be spent while visiting their families on the island that was below reason and made the visits virtually legally impossible. Other restrictions were added that made the trips all the more contained.

The LAMS enrollees, earlier assured of their status under the travel clauses as students and future doctors, were put at risk. International law provides that among the world’s recognized medical schools’ accrediting society of which Cuba is a member in good standing, the MD degree issued at the end of a standardized training protocol is accepted as long as the candidate is a citizen of the country of origin and passed any local and national medical board examinations.

Those of us who are working to promote and provide this education are standing by. As for now, there have been some assurances, however random within this trepidacious political climate, that the program will continue as before. This past week saw a start of various meetings between the principles that included Secretary of State Colin Powell.

The committee remains committed to move forward. There are appeals being made at the highest levels of government to allow such an altruistic arrangement to continue. We should all write our representatives on its behalf. In unity is strength.



--Don Sloan is assistant editor of Political Affairs.



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