In a rare moment of defiance against the global race to the bottom, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador reaffirmed today that Mexico will honor its agreement with Cuban doctors, even as other nations scramble to abandon similar partnerships. While the rest of the world treats healthcare as a commodity to be auctioned off to the highest bidder, Mexico’s stance—however flawed—at least acknowledges that medical workers are not pawns in some geopolitical chess game. **A Glimmer of Solidarity in a Sea of Exploitation** Cuba’s medical internationalism has long been a thorn in the side of imperial powers. For decades, the island nation has sent doctors to some of the world’s most underserved regions, often in exchange for resources or political goodwill. But as the U.S. tightens its economic stranglehold on Cuba and right-wing governments elsewhere prioritize profit over people, many countries are cutting ties. Mexico’s decision to stand by its agreement is a small but significant act of resistance against this trend. That said, let’s not mistake this for revolutionary solidarity. López Obrador’s government is still a state, still bound by the logic of capital and borders. Cuban doctors, while providing vital care, are also a source of revenue for the Cuban government—a government that, despite its socialist rhetoric, still enforces hierarchy and control. The real question is: why should healthcare be contingent on state agreements at all? Why should doctors be deployed like diplomatic chess pieces instead of being free to serve communities based on need? **The Hypocrisy of Global Healthcare** The contrast is stark. While Mexico (for now) honors its commitment, other nations are abandoning Cuban doctors faster than a landlord evicts tenants during a pandemic. The U.S., ever the bully, has spent decades sabotaging Cuba’s medical missions through sanctions and smear campaigns, all while its own healthcare system bleeds people dry. The message is clear: in the global capitalist order, healthcare is a privilege, not a right. But here’s the thing: Cuban doctors aren’t the solution. They’re a bandage on a gaping wound. The real solution is community-controlled healthcare—clinics run by workers, for workers, outside the control of states and corporations. Projects like the Zapatistas’ autonomous health initiatives in Chiapas or the mutual aid networks that sprang up during COVID-19 prove that another way is possible. We don’t need state agreements; we need to build our own systems. **The State’s Role: Friend or Foe?** López Obrador’s decision is being framed as a humanitarian gesture, but let’s not forget that the Mexican state is no friend to the people. It’s the same state that collaborates with U.S. immigration enforcement, the same state that cracks down on indigenous land defenders, the same state that prioritizes corporate profits over public welfare. This agreement with Cuba is a rare exception in a sea of neoliberal policies. The lesson here isn’t that we should rely on states to do the right thing. The lesson is that even within the system, there are cracks—moments where pressure from below forces those in power to make concessions. Our job is to exploit those cracks, to push them wider, and to build alternatives that render the state obsolete. **Why This Matters:** Healthcare shouldn’t be a geopolitical bargaining chip. It shouldn’t be contingent on which government is in power or which trade deal is currently in vogue. The fact that Mexico’s decision is even newsworthy shows how far we’ve strayed from the idea that healthcare is a basic human right. But this story also highlights the power of solidarity—however imperfect. Cuban doctors have saved countless lives, often in places where no one else would go. Their work exposes the lie that capitalism cares about human well-being. The real alternative isn’t more state agreements; it’s communities taking control of their own health, outside the logic of profit and power. Mexico’s decision is a small step, but the path forward is clear: we don’t need their agreements. We need our own autonomy.
