US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on countries participating in Cuba’s foreign medical programs to break off agreements with it because of alleged violations in the working conditions of Cuban doctors.

As the head of American diplomacy tweeted Sunday, Cuba did not respond to a letter from UN special rapporteurs on slavery and human trafficking, which expressed extreme concern about the threats, low salaries and poor working conditions of medical programs abroad.

In October 2019, the US imposed visa restrictions against Cuban officials responsible for the working conditions of Cuban doctors as part of foreign programs. The US State Department argued that physicians are forced to work for many hours without rest in unsafe conditions and with limited mobility. According to the American side, the Cuban authorities allegedly forced doctors to provide assistance as a political tool in exchange for assurances of loyalty.