作者： admin

In a significant diplomatic development, Jamaica has abruptly terminated its long-standing health cooperation agreement with Cuba, resulting in the complete withdrawal of Cuban medical personnel from the Caribbean nation. The decision, confirmed by Jamaican authorities on March 4th, directly responds to sustained pressure from the United States government.

The repatriation process concluded Thursday as the final members of the Cuban medical brigade arrived at José Martí International Airport in Havana. The returning professionals were greeted by high-ranking Cuban officials including Deputy Prime Minister Eduardo Martínez Díaz, Public Health Minister José Angel Portal Miranda, and other health sector leaders.

First Deputy Minister of Public Health Tania Margarita Cruz Hernández delivered an emotional welcome address, praising the medical professionals for their service. “The humble will not forget that you were the first to reach places where no doctor had ever gone before,” she stated, emphasizing that Jamaica’s decision deprives its citizens of essential healthcare services from a nation with which Cuba shares deep bonds of friendship.

The terminated program represented one of Cuba’s most successful international cooperation initiatives. Over the past three decades, more than 4,700 Cuban medical professionals have served in Jamaica, delivering extraordinary results including treatment for over 8.1 million patients, performance of 74,302 surgical procedures, assistance with 7,170 births, and the saving of more than 90,000 lives.

Additionally, through the Operation Miracle program active since 2010, nearly 25,000 Jamaicans had their vision restored or improved. The Cuban Foreign Ministry characterized Jamaica’s decision as unilateral and regrettable, noting that it interrupts decades of fruitful collaboration between the two nations.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez and Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz have issued formal commendations to the nation’s State Security Forces, marking the institution’s 67th founding anniversary. The leadership recognition occurred on Thursday with both officials emphasizing the organization’s critical role in national defense.

President Díaz-Canel, who also serves as First Secretary of the Communist Party’s Central Committee, expressed his admiration through social media platform X, stating: ‘I embrace our brave fighters of the State Security Organs, to whom we owe so much, for their defense of the homeland, almost always anonymous and risky.’ His message specifically acknowledged founders, leaders, officers, and personnel whose ‘heroic missions are part of the epic legend of the Cuban Revolution.’

Simultaneously, Prime Minister Marrero Cruz, representing both the Cuban government and himself as a Political Bureau member, delivered a formal letter of congratulations. The communication praised security personnel for their ‘patriotism, bravery, dedication, sacrifice, and devotion’ in fulfilling what he characterized as honorable duties. The Prime Minister particularly highlighted how contemporary security challenges are being met with courage and commitment, noting that personnel ‘defend the legacy of the Commander-in-Chief in the year of his centennial.’

The recognition extended to emphasizing the enduring influence of Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, whose teachings reportedly continue to shape the exemplary conduct of security forces. Marrero Cruz underscored that these values remain evident in both the professional and personal lives of security personnel, whom he described as ‘always standing with the people.’ The anniversary celebration reinforces the institutional importance of state security apparatus within Cuba’s revolutionary framework.

Cuba’s energy sector is navigating its most critical challenge in decades as the United States intensifies its six-decade economic embargo, creating unprecedented fuel shortages that have paralyzed power generation and forced nationwide energy rationing.

According to First Deputy Minister of Energy and Mines Argelio Jesús Abad Vigoa, the country has been unable to receive contracted fuel shipments for over three months due to what officials term an ‘energy blockade.’ This has resulted in approximately 1,400 megawatts of power generation capacity remaining idle—including 1,100 MW in distributed generation and 330 MW at Mariel and Moa facilities—primarily due to crude oil shortages.

The current energy mix relies heavily on domestic crude oil at thermoelectric plants, associated gas from oil wells, and renewable sources. This precarious combination has led to prolonged and disruptive power outages across the nation.

Despite these challenges, Cuba has achieved modest progress in domestic production. The Cuban Petroleum Union reversed its production decline in 2025, reaching its highest output in seven years. New wells have shown promising results, increasing crude oil and natural gas production capacity.

Significant investments in renewable energy include the completion of 52 solar photovoltaic parks providing over 1,000 MWp, generating up to 38% of daytime energy consumption. More than 10,000 solar systems have been installed for essential workers, with additional deployments for isolated communities and critical services.

The industrial sector is undergoing structural transformation toward financial self-sufficiency and energy autonomy. Minister of Industry Eloy Álvarez Martínez reported six approved self-financing schemes allowing business groups to retain foreign currency earnings for operational needs. The sector has strengthened its 27 foreign-capital enterprises and developed internal alliances that facilitate raw material procurement.

The water resources sector faces parallel challenges, with only 33% of the country’s 3,300 pumping stations utilizing solar or gravity-fed alternatives. National Institute of Water Resources President Antonio Rodríguez Rodríguez outlined plans to prioritize 480 critical stations serving large populations, while deploying electric vehicles and charging infrastructure to reduce fuel dependency.

Ongoing infrastructure projects include 29 kilometers of new water supply systems and 3 kilometers of sanitation infrastructure expected to benefit 189,000 residents, though implementation remains contingent on fuel availability.