Diplomatic Tensions Over Cuban Doctors in Calabria

The Italian region of Calabria has found itself at the center of an international diplomatic dispute between the United States and Cuba. The conflict revolves around contracts employing Cuban doctors in local hospitals, which have become essential for the functioning of the healthcare service in a region grappling with severe staff shortages. American pressure took concrete shape during a visit to Catanzaro, the regional capital. Mike Hammer, the acting chargé d'affaires of the USA to Cuba, along with the Consul General in Naples, Terrence Flynn, met with the region's president, Roberto Occhiuto. Representatives of the Donald Trump administration made it clear that continuing cooperation with Havana in this area could expose Calabria to sanctions from Washington. In response, Occhiuto defended the presence of Cuban specialists, stating that „Cuban doctors enable the functioning of hospitals and emergency departments in Calabria” and remain „indispensable for the region”. His priority, he emphasized, remains guaranteeing citizens the right to healthcare in a region with a very difficult healthcare situation. The export of medical services, especially medical personnel, has been an important element of Cuban foreign policy and a source of foreign currency for the regime in Havana for decades. These programs, often criticized for working conditions, simultaneously enable Cuba to build influence and a positive image abroad. Initially, Calabria's plans were ambitious – just three months ago, they intended to increase the number of Cuban „white coats” to one thousand. However, after the meeting with the Americans, the regional authorities announced a change of course. Occhiuto informed that „in light of the fruitful cooperation established in recent weeks with the State Department and the American consulate, it was decided to explore other paths for recruiting more doctors”. In mid-January, a call for tenders was published, addressed to all healthcare workers from the European Union and beyond who would like to work in Calabria. Despite this declaration of seeking alternatives, the reality in hospitals shows how deep the problem is. At the Santa Maria degli Ungheresi hospital in Polistena, more than twenty Cuban specialists – including in emergency medicine, surgery, cardiology, hematology, radiology, gynecology, and orthopedics – provide care for the entire Gioia Tauro Plain, serving over 180,000 users. 180 000 — Residents dependent on the care of Cuban doctors in Polistena alone The American position fits into the broader, toughened policy of the Trump administration towards Cuba. In an interview with the Spanish newspaper „ABC”, Mike Hammer suggested that „change on the island is near”, confirming the existence of contacts between the Trump administration and representatives of the Cuban government. The Calabrian case represents a local manifestation of this global tension, where the interests of high politics collide with the practical needs of the healthcare system of a European region.