Cuban doctor defects in Brazil over pay, seeks asylum

[Bacchus4.0]

http://news.yahoo.com/cuban-doctor-defects-brazil-over-pay-seeks-asylum-225821054--finance.html

BRASILIA (Reuters) -
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She is one of 7,378 Cubans who are in Brazil as part of a program that hires foreign doctors to tend the sick in slums and remote rural locations where there are no Brazilian physicians.

Under an agreement signed last year with Cuba through the Pan-American Health Organization, or PAHO, the Cubans get only one-fifth of the 10,000 reais ($4,100) a month that Brazil pays each physician in the program. The rest goes to the Cuban state.

The Cubans get paid 800 reais in Brazil and 1,200 reais are deposited in an account in Cuba for their families, who are not allowed to accompany them to Brazil.

Caiado, waving a copy of the PAHO contract in the air during a speech to the chamber, accused President Dilma Rousseff's government of exploiting the Cuban doctors like "slave labor."

[Paolo123]

1. What's an average wage in Cuba?

Is 2000 real's a lot or a little?

[Bacchus4.0]

2. $820 but the doctor only gets about $350

pretty decent for the families since I hear Cubans only make $20/month or so. Not that good for the doctor really. Think about it. They have to live in the Brazilian economy.

I wonder if this program is voluntary. Seems like they could increase contentment by boosting the salary rather than having the state getting 80%

It could be a much better deal for the doctors rather this human labor camp program. I wonder if volunteers a suspect since they may be more likely to defect.

[Mika]

3. OH MY GOODNESS!111!!! .000135 percent have defected.

THIS IS REALLY BREAKING NEWS!1! Series!111!

[Bacchus4.0]

4. I agree, its only one. Some interesting details on the program though n/t

[Marksman_91]

5. Stop pretending that you don't find this bothersome for your Cuba-idolatring mind

This is something that happens very often and in different fields, not just in medicine. Cubans who get a taste of the outside world know that there's more opportunity to make a better living in almost any other country, and you know it. The Cuban people don't really live in their island, they survive, and if a chance comes up to establish themselves in a place where they might actually get to be living for once instead of surviving, then they'll take it without hesitation. It's the reason why you see so many Cubans trying to escape to Miami and why you see zero Americans trying to escape to Cuba.

[Mika]

6. People from all over the world come ... er ... "escape" to the US.

I'll let my Cubans friends in Cuba know of your "concerns".

[Marksman_91]

7. Apparently you missed my point

There's a reason why nobody is going to Cuba to look for better opportunity and why some Cubans themselves risk their lives trying to reach the US shore, and why they don't go back to Cuba after settling here.

I'm still not sure what you were trying to say about my "concerns" (as if I expressed any) to your Cuban friends (I'm actually curious to know what they'd have to say). I live in Miami, am Venezuelan myself, speak Spanish as my native language, and personally know plenty of Cuban families that live here, and know quite well about their own experiences living on the island. Just wanted to point that out. I frankly don't see how you can be more well-informed and aware about the real situation in Cuba, Venezuela, and frankly the rest of LatinAmerica than me, especially since you don't have first-hand experience in going there or have friends and family still living there, like I do.

[Judi Lynn]

8. Unbelievable. Those of us familiar with Mika over the years know he has taught classes there,

lived there, volunteered work in harvests there, studied there, has relatives there, has been all over the country, maintains contact with friends and family there, married a Cuban woman in Cuba, etc., etc., etc. He most clearly knows whereof he speaks.

Jumping to assumptions about others without any possible foundation is a sloppy habit. It was embarrassing to read your post.

There's far, far more to this human being than someone interested in living only for himself would ever be able to fathom.

[Bacchus4.0]

9. Ecuador is a big launching pad for Cubans to escape as well

No visa required although now Ecuador is requiring an invite letter since so many Cubans are taking advantage of the immigration policy. The Cuban is really "helping" Venezuela aren't they?

[Mika]

10. I visit my relatives in Cuba frequently.

While I'm there I get to see some of my teachers and students, my friends, some great musicians, and most of the neighborhood where I lived.

Sorry that this negates your ill-formed fantasies of me.
Interestingly, I have formed no such fantasies of you. Thanks for conveying your story.