Cabinet to Decide Cuban Medical Brigade’s Fate

Minister of Foreign Affairs Francis Fonseca has confirmed that Cabinet will make its final decision on the fate of the Cuban medical brigade in September. When News Five spoke with the U.S. Charge’ d’Affaires, Katherine Beamer, back in June she stated that the U.S. supports the government’s decision to wind down the program. Today, we asked Minister Fonesca if, based on Beamer’s remarks, the government has already made its decision.

 

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs

“I think it was back in April that the Cabinet made a decision instructing the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to develop a six-month plan and in terms of that program and to present to Cabinet at the end of that six-month period, which is set to expire in September, options and recommendations. So that is the work that is ongoing. Obviously one of the options is that we may have to wind down the program. That is one of the options.”

 

Paul Lopez

“The Charge’ said that the U.S. supports the government’s decision to winddown the Cuban medical brigade program.”

 

Francis Fonseca

“Obviously that is their position, they want the program to be wound up. Not, it is exactly what I am saying, they know that one of the options for the government is winding up the program. So, they are saying, we support that option. That is one of the options we will be presenting to Cabinet and they support that option. But there will be a broader, wider discussion.”

 

Minister Fonseca maintains that the Government of Belize pays Cuban doctors directly and that their work here does not constitute forced labor.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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