Summary
On February 5, the U.S. State Department announced that it would send a second shipment of $6 million in humanitarian aid to Cuba through the Catholic Church, following the success of its first $3 million delivery. The new aid will be provided by the U.S. government and delivered via prepackaged commodities from Miami, with local parish representatives handling the distribution. This method has proven effective at ensuring that assistance intended for Cuba’s needy population is not interfered with or diverted by the Cuban regime. Assistant Secretary of State Marco Rubio highlighted the importance of this aid, stating that the “regime must simply permit it,” as they stand ready to provide greater direct support if needed. In contrast, Cuba’s deputy foreign minister criticized the U.S. initiative as hypocritical. The first shipment of $3 million in aid was delivered on January 14 and received by Caritas Cuba, with technical support from Caritas Germany. This distribution bypasses Cuban state controls, marking a significant development in Cuba’s history of international humanitarian aid. Prior to this, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops had arranged the delivery through Caritas Cuba, which organized the shipment along with Catholic Relief Services.
Key Topics
Catholic Church, Cuba, U.S. aid
