Two more Cuban students have deserted their studies in Russia, adding to the growing wave of departures among those who received scholarships from the Cuban government. The monthly stipends, which are consistently delayed, have yet to be paid this time around, leaving students stranded as winter approaches.
The Cuban government was supposed to disburse the latest payments in July, but students are still waiting. They find themselves without funds and are prohibited from seeking employment to support themselves, a rule strictly enforced and punished. The latest deserters have reportedly made their way to Dubai, according to sources within the student community studying oil, transportation, science, and tobacco industries.
The rate of desertions remains steady, these sources confirm. They recall that out of 12 scholarship recipients last year, only two graduated, and just one returned to Cuba. Most stayed in Russia, marrying locals. Despite the delayed payments, students are required to pay between 2,000 and 3,000 rubles monthly for substandard housing. They also face frequent detentions by Russian police, who demand bribes to release them, often accusing them of being illegal immigrants, particularly when found in areas near Moscow where the Cuban embassy forbids them to go.
Struggling to Survive
Many students defy the embassy's restrictions to work unofficially in neighboring areas to afford food while waiting for their stipends. A Cuban official explained that the payments are authorized but cannot be processed due to a lack of funds. Once they receive the money in euros, students must convert it to rubles and then back again, losing money in the process. Some come from impoverished families and need to send a portion of their stipend back to Cuba for their relatives.
With the harsh Russian winter approaching, the delay in stipends further strains their finances. "We endure so much cold that we cough up blood clots," recounted a former scholarship student now living in the United States. José Alberto Ferrán abandoned his studies and returned to Cuba upon realizing the reality in Russia was far from what he had been promised. He eventually made his way to the United States via Nicaragua and Mexico and now resides in New Jersey.
Ferrán told CiberCuba that being chosen to study in Moscow was initially an honor. He was selected from among Industrial Engineering students in Pinar del Río. However, the Cuban authorities did not inform him that he would be sent to Russia in December, in the dead of winter, with no money or proper clothing to study at a university on the outskirts of Moscow.
Worthless Diplomas and Unfulfilled Promises
Adding to their woes, the degrees obtained in Russia are not internationally recognized. Students who have returned to Cuba after giving up their studies face difficulties re-enrolling in their former universities. The disillusionment is widespread. Those who accepted the scholarships agreed to "maintain proper behavior in line with the values of the Cuban Revolution." In return, the regime promised financial assistance but included a caveat: it would depend on the "specific conditions of the country."