The vice president of health says they paid $1,600 for electricians who in Honduras earn less than $500.
14ymedio, Havana, March 4, 2026 — As promised, the Honduran government continues its investigation into the Cuban medical missions brought in by the administration of President Xiomara Castro, an ally of Havana. This Sunday, Deputy Health Minister Ángel Eduardo Midence revealed that, in addition to the $6,604,800 the country paid for 178 Cuban healthcare workers, another $3,654,817 was disbursed from the coffers of the “Secretariat of Strategic Planning” to cover housing, transportation, and baggage expenses.
In an interview for the program Tu Nota, the official detailed that renting a house in Honduras ranges from 15,000 to 20,000 lempiras, airfare from 800 to 1,000 dollars, and excess baggage costs 50 dollars.
Midence confirmed that the outgoing government made two agreements, one in 2024 and another last year. “It started with an agreement for 88 collaborators and was extended; we ended up with approximately 169 to 178,” so the island received $1,600 monthly for each of these people.
The deputy minister clarified that the information revealed was provided by the Cuban Embassy. As the data from the Cuban servers was cross-referenced, it was found that, in addition to electricians, telecommunications technicians, and an economist, the medical brigade also included cutting and assembly technicians and administrators.
“Yes, there were specialist doctors, that’s true, but the stipend should have been calculated based on the function” they performed, he stressed.
Honduras paid Cuban electricians $1,600, while the salary for this trade in the country is 12,316 lempiras ($464) per month. A nursing technician receives a salary of 17,238 lempiras ($650).
“How many Honduran electricians and nursing technicians could have been paid with the Cubans’ salaries?” Midence asked. “They would gladly go to the places where the medical brigade personnel were,” especially if “they were paid for housing, airfare, and their travel expenses.”
The official does not know which hospital the technicians, administrators, accountants and telecommunications technicians were located because they appear as “in process,” that is, “they did not have a permanent location.”
The doctor also explained the vast difference between what the Cubans received and what he experienced during his social service at the Santa Bárbara Integrated Hospital. “There were only two of us doctors for the entire place back then,” he said, explaining that they divided the surgical, emergency, and gynecological services. “The hardest part was the on-call shifts.”
Midence explained that he managed on a scholarship of 5,500 lempiras (US$18). “We lived in a single room, the two of us.” At that time, he said, “the mayor got us a loan for lunch.” Transportation was financed through donations from his parents’ friends.
With the end of its agreement with Cuba, Honduras follows in the footsteps of Guatemala and Antigua and Barbuda, as well as Guyana and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, which terminated their medical cooperation projects with the island after pressure from Washington. Last June, the US announced the revocation of visas for Honduran officials from the Ministry of Health (Sesal) and the Ministry of Strategic Planning.
______________________
COLLABORATE WITH OUR WORK: The 14ymedio team is committed to practicing serious journalism that reflects Cuba’s reality in all its depth. Thank you for joining us on this long journey. We invite you to continue supporting us by becoming a member of 14ymedio now. Together we can continue transforming journalism in Cuba.