Fernández stated that government authorities are closely following this issue, which is of great interest to our people, adding that the steps taken and significant efforts made continue, to guarantee the release and safe return to the homeland of our two internationalist health collaborators.

On October 5th, Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, communicated through his official Twitter account, that he had held a conversation with his Somali counterpart, Ahmed Isse Awad.

Rodríguez Parrilla thanked the Somali government for its support and work to guarantee the safe return of the two Cuban health professionals, abducted in Kenya on April 12, 2018, and later transported to that nation.

Assel Herrera Correa, a specialist in comprehensive general medicine from Las Tunas, and Landy Rodríguez Hernández, a surgeon from Villa Clara, were in Kenya providing health services as part of the Cuban medical brigade there.

Rodríguez Parrilla additionally emphasized the willingness to strengthen bilateral ties between Cuba and Somalia.

(Source: Granma)

“Given the abduction of Cuban doctors Assel Herrera and Landy Rodríguez in Kenya, I have maintained systematic communication with that country’s Minister of Health, who reiterated that his government continues efforts to secure the safe return of our doctors,” tweeted Cuban Minister of Public Health José Ángel Portal Miranda, who along with a government work group is following the rescue work.

It was also reported that other members of the medical brigade in Kenya are safe and taking extra security precautions, especially in regions bordering Somalia, including moving to different residences, evacuation from some areas, additional security personnel, and maintaining direct lines of communication with families in Cuba. Collaboration also continues at the governmental level and with the Kenyan national police, with which Cuban authorities have discussed the investigation.

“We have direct communication with the head of the Cuban Medical Mission in Kenya, who reports that our remaining health collaborators in that country are safe. We keep family members informed in Cuba,” Minister Portal Miranda stated.

Patients of Assel Herrera and Landy Rodríguez in Kenya, upon hearing the news of the abduction, have expressed their concern and prayers in gestures of gratitude to these two doctors who came to the region despite very challenging material conditions.

Messages of support, solidarity, and hope have arrived from all corners of the globe where Cubans are completing cooperative missions.

(Source: Granma)

Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla likewise tweeted, “I held a telephone conversation with the Kenyan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mónica Juma. We discussed the abduction of the two Cuban doctors and actions being taken by the government of this country given the unfortunate incident.”
On both of these Twitter accounts, it was made clear that other Cuban doctors are safe and fully informed of every step being taken to rescue their two colleagues.

Assel Herrera Correa is a specialist in Comprehensive General medicine from the province of Las Tunas and Landy Rodríguez Hernández, from Villa Clara, is a surgeon.

A communiqué released April 12 by the Ministry of Public Health stated that channels of communication were immediately established with authorities in Kenya to address the situation, and family members here are being kept informed.

Landy’s mother, Martha Hernández, told Granma, “I have full confidence that sooner than later, my son will return to the heart of his family. The Revolution never abandons one of its children, and this time, it will be the same.”

Despite the overwhelming pain, Martha insisted that solidarity, in Cuba and around the world, supporting the doctors’ freedom is key to their safe return.

She said that, since she heard the news, Party, government and Public Health authorities in the municipality of Placetas and on the provincial level, have kept her informed of every detail.

Assel’s family in Las Tunas is also receiving continuous support and all information available is being provided them.

In a statement to Granma, Grégory Antonio Pérez Héctor, deputy director of Public Health in the province explained that, upon receiving the news, a commission was immediately created, first to visit the home of his daughter, a high school student in the provincial capital, and then his parents in the community of Delicias.

“We have stayed in permanent contact with them, and not only on the part of Health, but political and government authorities, as well. Saturday, his parents were visited by Public Health officials who stayed with them most of the afternoon, explaining everything the country is doing to secure the return of their son. As elderly persons in poor health, they have been assigned the continuous support of a doctor, a nurse, and psychologist.”
Ruciel Tamayo Pérez, head of the clinic where Assel worked, told Granma that every day the administrator on duty visits the home of his daughter, who lives nearby.

“His daughter is finishing twelfth grade and tells us that she wants to be a doctor like her father. We have assured her that our government never abandons anyone.”

During the dawn hours today, reported was the kidnapping of two Cuban health care collaborators offering their services in the county of Mandera in the Republic of Kenya. The collaborators are Assel Herrera Correa, Comprehensive General Medicine specialist from the province of Las Tunas, and Landy Rodríguez Hernández, surgical specialist from the province of Villa Clara.

Channels of communication were immediately established with authorities in Kenya to address the situation, and family members here are being kept informed.

A government working group has also been established to follow this sensitive development.