Honduras and Mexico in the spotlight: Trump's strategy against Cuba's medical missions in Latin America

The Donald Trump administration has intensified a systematic campaign to dismantle Cuban medical cooperation programs in Latin America. Honduras stands out as a flagship case of this effort, but the pattern suggests that Mexico and the entire region could be the next targets of unprecedented diplomatic pressure.

Honduras Leads the Withdrawal of Cuban Doctors

Nearly 130 Cuban health professionals will leave Honduras after their contracts expire this week. Secretary of State for Communication and Strategy, José Augusto Argueta, confirmed the end of the program, although he noted that clinics and hospitals operated by Cuban doctors “will continue to function until we can fully transition to Honduran professionals.”

This withdrawal marks a radical shift in Honduras’s foreign policy under the new leadership of Nasry Asfura, who took office at the end of January after succeeding Xiomara Castro. During the previous administration, Cuban medical cooperation thrived: Cuba maintained 150 doctors in the country, operated five ophthalmology laboratories, and 278 Honduran students were studying on the Caribbean island. Asfura, former mayor of Tegucigalpa, has deliberately reoriented Honduras toward the orbit of U.S. foreign policy.

Trump’s Pressure on Cuba Expands Across the Region

The U.S. administration is not limited to Honduras. Recently, Guatemala announced a gradual reduction of the program involving 412 Cuban workers, of whom 333 were doctors. The Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda, and Grenada have also modified or limited these brigades, often after receiving threats of migration sanctions against their officials.

Marco Rubio, Trump’s Secretary of State, has personally led this diplomatic pressure campaign. It has even crossed American borders: the top U.S. diplomat in Cuba, Mike Hammer, recently visited Italy to persuade the regional government of Calabria to abandon the agreement with Cuba. The strategy is clear: economically isolate Havana by eliminating all its sources of income abroad.

Economic Impact: Medical Brigades as a Source of Foreign Currency

Medical missions are one of Cuba’s main sources of foreign currency, alongside tourism, both severely affected by U.S. economic pressure. According to the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs, nearly 24,000 health professionals worked in 56 countries in 2023.

Historical figures reveal the importance of the program: these brigades generated $6.3 billion in revenue for the Cuban government in 2018 and $3.9 billion in 2020 (partially in the form of Venezuelan oil). The constant reduction of these programs represents a significant deterioration of Havana’s income. Washington openly characterizes this system as “similar to slavery,” a claim that underpins its pressure strategy.

A Shift in Central American Foreign Policy

Honduras exemplifies a broader shift in Central American policies. Trump even directly influenced the Honduran electoral process last year, supporting Asfura and pardoning another former president of the same party who was serving a 45-year sentence in the U.S. for drug trafficking.

The question now is whether Mexico and other regional governments will follow the same path under U.S. pressure. The Trump administration has made clear it seeks to force Cuba’s economic collapse through systematic strangulation of its income, hoping to overthrow the 60-year regime. Honduras has responded by realigning itself; the question now is how many other Latin American countries will make similar decisions.