Mexican President Sheinbaum Made a Donation With Her Own Money To Buy Humanitarian Aid For Cuba

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she made a personal donation to an account destined to buy humanitarian aid for Cuba, as her administration continues to provide support to the beleaguered island without sparking confrontation with the U.S.

Speaking in her daily press conference, Sheinbaum said she donated 20,000 Mexican pesos, or about 1,100 U.S. dollars. She made sure to highlight that the donation is personal and not connected to her administration, which nonetheless is providing support to the island.

In recent weeks, the country has sent aid shipments to the island and explored ways to continue supporting it despite U.S. pressure. Sheinbaum has argued that sanctions targeting Cuba risk harming civilians, saying "you can't hurt the people just because you disagree with the government."

Moreover, Sheinbaum said her government will continue receiving Cuban doctors, rejecting accusations of human trafficking made by Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart.

In a social media post, the Mexican embassy in the United States said its healthcare partnerships "ensure direct compensation for medical professionals and dignified working conditions," adding that "foreign workers have the same rights and conditions as Mexican workers under Mexican law."

The post came after Díaz-Balart accused Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum of being "complicit in human trafficking," citing U.S. policy targeting Cuba's overseas medical programs.

Díaz-Balart's criticism echoes broader concerns raised by U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has described Cuba's deployment of doctors abroad as a "form of human trafficking." The programs, which send Cuban medical professionals to countries across Latin America and beyond, have long been a point of tension between Washington and Havana.

This practice, which began shortly after the 1959 revolution, has played a key role in Cuba's global image. The first major mission was in Algeria in 1963, and since then, Cuban doctors have worked in regions struck by disaster, poverty, or epidemic. Critics, including the U.S. government, have alleged that the missions often exploit the medical workers, citing strict state control over wages and mobility. Cuba, however, defends the programs as a pillar of international solidarity and a critical source of revenue for its economy.