CUBA EXPORTS SLAVE LABOR TO LATIN AMERICA

Alexandra Marin-Pellecer, Elena Mederos Foundation August 1, 2001

The situation of workers in Cuba has turned out to be extremely difficult with the regime becoming the exploiter of the workers. Many Cubans are working oversees and they suffered the injustice of being paid in worthless pesos while the government is paid in dollars.

Cuba has the lowest wages of any country in Latin America, including Nicaragua. Medical doctors and teachers are been exported to Nicaragua, Colombia and Venezuela.

Cuba exports a cadre of professionals all over Latin America in exchange for much needed dollars.

 In the jungles of Colombia, where the guerrilla rule, Cuban surgeons out source by the Cuban government treat injured guerrillas. It is rumored that there are more than 500 Cuban physicians in Colombia, working with the guerrillas in the neutral zone. These doctors work under contract and the guerrilla army pays their salaries. The Cuban government charges the guerrillas $4,500 (U.S. dollars) per month per surgeon. The Cuban government retains $4,300 and the surgeon's family in Cuba receives $100 in Cuban pesos. The guerrillas provide the surgeon, serving in the mountains, food and shelter.

In the fertile mountains of Nicaragua where tobacco plants bloom, Cuban tobacco experts contracted by the Cuban government direct the growing season. The Cuban government charges the tobacco growers $2,500 (U.S. dollars) for each expert. The government retains $2,000 and the expert's family in Cuba gets $250 in Cuban pesos. The remaining $250 is given to the expert for his expenses in Nicaragua.

The cadre of professional slave labor is essential for the survival of the Cuban government. Their knowledge facilitates the government's acquisition of much needed hard currency.

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