US Cuban labour restriction: “We’re not in breach of any labour laws” – Pres Ali

The Guyana Government has informed United States (US) authorities that all Cubans working in the country are doing so strictly under local labour laws, as well as in compliance of international labour laws.
The US has expanded an existing Cuba-related visa restriction policy that targets forced labour linked to the Cuban labour export programme. This decision will see visa restrictions placed on state officials believed to be involved in the export of Cuban workers – a move that has been strongly criticised by some Caribbean leaders.
In Guyana, Cuban medical professionals work in several public and private hospitals across the country.
President Dr Irfaan Ali told reporters on the sidelines of an event on Saturday, that assurance was given to the US that all foreign workers here, including Cubans, enjoy benefits that do not breach any labour laws.
“We have already responded to the US through our official channels that whatever [foreign] workers we have here – whether it’s from Cuba, India… that they fall under the same local labour laws and international labour laws.”
“We ensure their contracts and terms of employment are aligned with international and local labour laws, and standards. But we also said to the US if there is any particular information or any specific issue that they wish for us to address, that we’re more than willing to work with them,” the Guyanese Leader stated.
Last week, President Ali was in the US, and met with several top Government officials to discuss a number of issues.
Citing the close ties that Guyana and the US share on many issues, the Head of State maintained that there are no labour breaches here. In fact, he said that among the information the Guyana Government shared with the US last week is the benefits that the Cuban workers get here.
“We are very confident that they are working in strict conformity with international labour laws and our local labour laws… We’ve shared with [the US] everything, and we’re not in breach of any labour laws,” the President stressed.
Only on Thursday, Vice President (VP) Dr Bharrat Jagdeo said Guyana will be addressing this matter through diplomacy.
“We don’t do diplomacy in the public, and I believe we have a strong engagement with the Trump Administration and with the State Department that would allow this matter to be resolved to the satisfaction of all parties. So, that is how we’ll approach it,” the VP told reporters at his press conference.

Jagdeo’s remarks came after Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley said she is prepared to have her US visa revoked, as she urged CARICOM countries to defend the Cuban health brigade programme. Other leaders from Antigua and Barbuda, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago have also expressed their support for the Cuban programme.
Jagdeo had, nevertheless, maintained that Guyana’s stance is clear: Government is committed to maintaining diplomatic engagement with the US while ensuring that Cuban health professionals, who have been an integral part of Guyana’s healthcare system, are able to continue their crucial work in the country.
“I can assure you that there is a regional as well as national engagement with the US State Department on these matters. We want to have Cuban professionals work in our health system; they have been an invaluable support to our health system. But we also want to ensure that they have free choice. This is something that we are working with the US Government, and it’s not just a national issue, but a regional issue,” the VP stated.
CARICOM countries, including Guyana, provide employment for large batches of Cuban doctors and nurses, and some CARICOM leaders have taken a more direct stance against the US’s expansion of its existing Cuba-related visa restriction policy that targets the export of Cuban labour to other countries.
According to President Ali on Saturday, “…when the policy was announced [by the US]… we were at [the CARICOM] Heads meeting, and this was one of the subjects that Heads would have requested a meeting on with the US State Department.”
As articulated in a statement from Rubio, the administration believes that Cuba nets much income from a “forced labour” programme. Doctors and other health workers in particular are believed to be part of this programme.
Shortly after the announcement, VP Jagdeo had stated while the CARICOM nations plan to engage the US Administration on the Cuban medical brigade and other issues, the Guyana Government’s priority remains economic and social stability, as well as ensuring access to adequate healthcare for the Guyanese people.
In its 2024 Mid-Year Report, the Ministry of Finance had revealed that the Cuban Medical Brigade’s presence in Guyana had significantly increased, with some 240 Cuban healthcare professionals, including 144 nurses, now deployed across the country – a growth from the 192 medical professionals from the island nation stationed here at the end of 2023.