Related videos:
The independent organization Bienestar Animal Cuba (BAC) formally offered its collaboration to the United States Government on Thursday to channel and distribute humanitarian aid for those affected in eastern Cuba following the passage of Hurricane Melissa.
In an official statement published on Facebook, BAC expressed that its proposal responds to the public call from the U.S. State Department, which invited Cuban organizations to participate in the guidance and distribution of assistance without intermediaries from the Havana regime.
"We do not act out of isolated initiative, but in response to that call," the group stated, reminding that their work is "not political, but humanitarian."
The organization clarified that its goal is to ensure that aid reaches the individuals who dedicate their lives to rescuing and caring for animals, many of whom lost their material possessions and workspaces during the disaster.
"It is not about helping animals, but about helping the human beings who protect them," emphasized BAC.
The statement also calls on shelters, caregivers, and animal protection groups in the eastern part of the country to send information about the damages suffered, in order to create a verifiable registry of beneficiaries.
"We will act with complete transparency, ethics, and responsibility. We are not seeking the spotlight, but rather justice and order in the delivery of aid," emphasized the organization.
The offer from BAC comes after the announcement by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who stated that the United States is prepared to provide immediate humanitarian aid to the Cuban people without regime intermediaries.
Rubio explained that the assistance will be delivered “directly or through local partners who can distribute it more effectively to those in need.”
In a subsequent statement, the State Department clarified that U.S. legislation provides exemptions for private donations of food, medicine, and essential items in disaster situations.
Filed under: