Ask Lemmygrad

Cuban Engineers make very little and Cuban Doctors are extorted by their government according to my step dad.

This happened a few years ago so I, unfortunately, cannot remember all the details of the conversation. But even so it still bothers the hell out of me to this day.

Cuba was obviously the topic of discussion and I was raving about how their doctors are the best in the world, my step dad then mentioned that when they are sent overseas they must return home, they cannot just leave Cuba at all (perhaps for vacation but other than that they apparently have to remain in Cuba forever). I was unbothered by this, because honestly I wasn’t fully convinced, and said “thats fine.” He laughed in disbelief because what he just described was “extortion.” The Cuban government is extorting their doctors.

At some point my mom and step dad were talking about their vacation to Cuba and how their cab driver was apparently an engineer but had to work this side job to make more money. I guess being a cab driver is more lucrative? I do not remember why he was telling me this, maybe it was a way to criticize the Cuban economic system? Regardless, this discussion has bothered the hell out of me ever since it happened, and although I cannot remember some of the specifics the main parts still eat at me to this day.

So, is anything that he told me true? I have a hard time looking this information up as all the sources I get are from the West and very anti-Cuba in general so they’re unhelpful. Thanks for any information you can provide!

Edit: grammar/spelling mistakes.