The United States is pressuring countries to end their Cuban medical missions as Cuba faces a deepening fuel crisis. Guatemala recently announced it will phase out its 30-year-old Cuban doctor program this year. The Cuban mission in Guatemala includes 412 medical workers, with 333 doctors. These doctors have supported Guatemala since the 1998 Hurricane Mitch, helping fill gaps in healthcare. Guatemala’s health ministry said the withdrawal is part of a “gradual termination” and a plan to hire more local medical staff. The decision follows growing US pressure to stop Cuba’s overseas doctor missions. The US calls these missions “forced labor” without proof and wants to block a major source of Cuban government income. Cuba earns billions by sending doctors worldwide, especially to Latin America and Africa. This practice began soon after the 1959 Cuban revolution and has been a key tool for Cuba's international diplomacy. Many countries rely heavily on Cuban doctors to cover healthcare shortages. Since January, US sanctions and an oil blockade have worsened Cuba’s economic crisis, causing fuel, power, and medical shortages. Guatemala, now closer to the US under President Bernardo Arevalo, is cooperating with Washington’s demands. Other countries, like Brazil, have already ended Cuban missions after political shifts. The US increased efforts last year by limiting visas for officials linked to Cuban medical exports. US Senator Marco Rubio called the missions “forced labor” and pushed policies to block Cuban doctors abroad. After the US’s failed attempt to abduct Venezuela's President Maduro, Washington intensified pressure on Cuba. Despite US threats, some Caribbean nations defend Cuban doctors. Leaders like Barbados’s Mia Mottley and Trinidad and Tobago’s Keith Rowley praised Cuban medical help during COVID-19. Some countries like Guyana try to bypass US pressure by paying Cuban doctors directly, not through Havana. Currently, more than 24,000 Cuban doctors serve in 56 countries, including Venezuela, Nicaragua, Mexico, Angola, Mozambique, and Qatar. Their medical work fills vital gaps in many places. The US campaign aims to stop this and weaken Cuba’s economy further.