The governments of Guatemala and Honduras announced the termination and non-renewal, respectively, of their medical cooperation agreements with Cuba between 4:16 PM and 7:16 PM UTC on February 24, 2026, requiring the departure of more than 100 Cuban professionals from Honduras and the gradual end of the program in Guatemala, according to official reports cited by La Tijera News. Honduras chose not to extend its current health agreement, ending the presence of Cuban doctors in the country, while Guatemala confirmed the progressive conclusion of its medical collaboration program with Havana despite its own health system crisis involving specialist shortages and structural limitations, as stated in the La Tijera News report from https://x.com/echezabaljd71/status/2026369125920993301. Cuban medical missions have faced international controversy, with human rights organizations and governments denouncing restrictive working conditions such as limits on freedom of movement, partial salary withholding, and direct supervision by the Cuban State, according to regional sources referenced in the report. These missions serve as one of the Cuban government's main sources of foreign exchange through bilateral agreements. The United States government has described the programs as mechanisms benefiting the Cuban state apparatus.
