Cuba on the podium of human trafficking: medical missions, forced labor and reprisals against those who tried to escape

Cuba has been maintained at Tier 3 in the Trafficking in Persons Report 2026 due to the continued government-imposed pattern of forced labor within its labor export programs, which include medical missions. According to the report from the United States Department of State, the Cuban government has sustained these practices alongside retaliatory measures directed against participants who attempt to escape the programs.

The retention of Cuba at the lowest tier underscores ongoing international scrutiny regarding state-sponsored labor arrangements. The assessment highlights systemic concerns involving coercive labor conditions and the lack of protections for professionals deployed abroad in official missions.