Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05TEGUCIGALPA1792
2005-08-30 22:27:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Cable title:  

MEDIA REACTION ON CUBAN BRIGADES, AUGUST 29, 2005

Tags:  OIIP KPAO PHUM PREL KDEM CU HO 
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UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 001792 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/PD, WHA/CCA, WHA/PPC, AND WHA/CEN
STATE FOR DRL/PHD, INR, AND IIP/G/WHA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KPAO PHUM PREL KDEM CU HO
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON CUBAN BRIGADES, AUGUST 29, 2005


UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 001792

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/PD, WHA/CCA, WHA/PPC, AND WHA/CEN
STATE FOR DRL/PHD, INR, AND IIP/G/WHA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KPAO PHUM PREL KDEM CU HO
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON CUBAN BRIGADES, AUGUST 29, 2005



1. On 08/28 the San Pedro Sula-based liberal daily "Tiempo"
owned by a Liberal Party opposition congressman carried an
op-ed by Silvia Ayala Figueroa entitled "Hondurans don't
want Cuban doctors to leave the country."

"Through several media outlets President Maduro has
expressed his intention to `remove' the Cuban doctors that
have served the poorest areas of Honduras." (Note:
President Ricardo Maduro is from the National Party. End
Note.

"The Honduran government's intention will deny healthcare to
2.5 million Hondurans. This is a blow to the country's
health, a `crime to humanity.' The government says that the
situation in Honduras has changed so the country doesn't
require all of the Cuban doctors already working in the
country. They will be leaving from the country gradually and
the agreement will be renegotiated according to necessity.
But we have to ask ourselves, whose necessity is that? Maybe
it's the necessity of the Honduran Medical College, which
has conflicts with the Cuban doctors because the Cubans have
proved that medical practice is not merchandise but a gift.
Or perhaps a necessity or interest of the North American
government that has told Honduran officials that some
members of the Cuban intelligence may be disguised as
doctors or President Bush's necessity to maintain an
inhumane blockade against Cuba."

"Which necessities does the Honduran government refer to?
Perhaps they are referring to the Honduran youth's necessity
for superior education. President Maduro has rejected some
of the [medical] scholarships given by the Cuban
administration. Scholarships such as the ones given to the
Honduran doctors that just graduated from the Latin American
Medical School in Cuba."

"It is clear that the Honduran government doesn't answer to
the people's interests and is incapable of developing a
health and education policy. The government even rejects
help from Cuba. It is also clear that the Honduran people
don't want the Cuban doctors to leave the country and want
that young people to have access to Cuban [medical]
scholarships. We would like to show our gratitude to the
Cubans who have shared with us the benefits that eleven
million Cubans have enjoyed for more than 40 years."


2. On 08/29 "Tiempo" published an editorial entitled "Cuban
Doctors." "President Maduro announced that a special
commission will decide if the Cuban doctors will continue to
give free medical assistance in our country."

"The Honduran Medical College, The National University
(UNAH) and the Ministry of Health will be part of the
special commission. According to public opinion, President
Maduro wanted this commission so he wouldn't have to decide
for himself the destiny of the Cuban brigades."

"The government says that Honduras is in an advanced stage
but we are living a different reality. Overall health has
decreased in the current government and there are fewer
medical doctors per population (2.28 doctors for 10,000
habitants.)"

"But when several political factors intervene we see bad
attitudes, such as the concern towards the Venezuelan
President's interest in giving more medical scholarships to
Latin America."

"So, lets make some conclusions.."

Williard