In the quiet yet resilient towns of Mandera County, Kenya, two Cuban doctors, Assel Herrera Correa and Landy Rodríguez Hernández, embarked on a journey that remains tragically unfinished. Their mission, like many before them, was to heal. But in 2019, under circumstances that remain both mysterious and heartbreaking, they were kidnapped—a distressing chapter that continues to be written.
Recently, Old Havana’s cobbled streets echoed with another poignant pronouncement from Cuban Foreign Affairs Minister, Bruno Rodriguez. With an unsettling conviction, he reiterated Cuba’s stance. “Six years ago,” he reflected, “Cuban doctors Assel and Landy were kidnapped in Kenya while on an internationalist mission. Efforts to clarify the situation continue, with the ongoing attention and commitment of the highest level of the Party and the Government of Cuba.” His words, simple yet profound, paint a picture of ongoing struggle and unresolved suspicions.
“Efforts to clarify the situation continue,” he said, with all the weight of a nation that refuses to forget.
The issue, steeped in geopolitics, is more convoluted than at first it may appear. The Cuban government’s determination to resolve the doctors’ fates remains unwavering. Yet, their hopes seem shadowed by global politics. The specter of international relations looms large, particularly with the U.S. In an unexpected twist, Cuba has turned its gaze toward the United States, holding it accountable for past actions conducted under the aegis of AFRICOM, the U.S. African Command.
In February of last year, AFRICOM carried out a targeted airstrike, presumably on an Al-Shabaab camp that was suspected of sheltering the abducted doctors. The aftermath of that strike left both a physical and emotional rubble. A cascade of reports and a flurry of social media activity suggested what many feared—might the doctors have been caught in the crossfire? Yet, just like an elusive shadow, answers have failed to materialize.
AFRICOM’s operations, carried out with practiced precision, have to navigate the thorny hedges of clandestine conflict zones. But in this case, the pathways to truth have been frustratingly obscured. Despite numerous efforts — meetings behind closed doors, diplomatic outreaches marked by both urgency and hope — clarity remains elusive. In an official statement, Cuba’s government noted, “Given the nature of the conflict in Somalia and the impossibility of obtaining confirmation, in recent weeks the Cuban government has repeatedly requested, through direct communications and diplomatic notes, precise information from the United States government regarding the events that occurred.”
While the internet buzzed with hypotheses, the Cuban President, Miguel Diaz-Canel, emerged as a steadfast pillar amid the swirling storm of conjecture. Addressing the emotional tumult surrounding the news, he conveyed a heartfelt message: “I express all my solidarity and affection to the families of our doctors Assel and Landy in these moments of uncertainty and increased pain, in the face of the tragic news not yet confirmed, in whose clarification we are working hard with international authorities.” His pledge was not just to the families but to a nation yearning for closure.
Promises, however, have not yet translated into resolutions. As the dynamics in Washington D.C. evolve, questions linger. Will these changes sideline the quest for truth yet again? With the political landscape under former President Donald Trump characterized by an America First agenda, other priorities had previously overshadowed external engagements, leaving one to ponder whether the fate of these two healers will find resonant compassion at the heart of future diplomacy.
In this era of uncertainty, where stories cross borders and bonds are tested, the tale of Assel and Landy remains a poignant reminder. Are unresolved stories like theirs the price we pay in our global narrative?
