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US medical students in Cuba may be forced to leave

New York Jeanne Lenzer

Eighty underprivileged US medical students studying at Cuba’s Latin American School of Medical Sciences may not be able to finish their courses because of a new ruling by President Bush.

As part of Bush’s plan to "hasten Cuba’s transition" to a "post-Castro, democratic existence" US citizens will no longer be allowed to enjoy "fully hosted" stays in Cuba—in other words, where the Cuban government funds their living and tuition costs.

Molly Millerwise, spokeswoman for the US Treasury Department, said that the ruling is part of "another round of crackdowns of Cuba related sanctions."

The students, recruited from poor areas of the United States, were selected to receive full scholarships to the Cuban medical school. The students get free housing, books, tuition, and medical care. The idea for the programme arose when members of the US Congressional Black Caucus visited Cuba in 1999. The law makers complained about the scarcity of doctors in their districts, some of the poorest in the United States. Cuban president Fidel Castro offered to award full scholarships to 500 needy US students. Cuba currently hosts 3432 medical students from 23 nations studying in Havana.

After the offer the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization, based in New York, began recruiting students from "humble backgrounds" with a commitment to "serve the most needy," according to Reverend Lucius Walker, executive director of the organisation.

Reverend Walker said, "Bush says this is an effort to ‘bring democracy to Cuba,’ but it is exactly the opposite. The idea is to punish Cuba; but this doesn’t hurt Cuba, it punishes poor American children who dream of serving poor people."

Since Castro came to power there have always been restrictions by the US government on its citizens visiting Cuba. But recent crackdowns by the Bush administration, which is keen to gain continuing support from many people who have fled Cuba for Florida, include restrictions on who can visit Cuba—including doctors attending medical conferences (17 April, p 914). The regulation prohibiting fully hosted visits means that even those whose visits are paid for by Cubans or "third parties" cannot stay in Cuba.

Asked about why the Treasury Department would effectively end the careers of underprivileged medical students in Cuba, Ms Millerwise said, "The sanctions help choke off hard currency lining Castro’s pockets."

When asked how that applies to the medical students, as the funds are flowing out of, not into, Cuban pockets, Millerwise responded, "This is part of our overall national security policies." She added that the medical students could apply for a licence if they want to stay in Cuba.

But the policy, which came into effect on 30 June, poses an immediate threat to the students’ education, said Reverend Walker. "One of the most arbitrary and fluctuating aspects of sanctions has been licensing. Just yesterday they discontinued the licence for 50 US university students, who were told they had to leave."

Details of the ruling are at www.ustreas.gov/offices/eotffc/ofac/actions/20040616.html

 
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