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Dozens of Cubans have reacted to the announcement from the United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, who asserted on Wednesday that Washington is prepared to offer immediate humanitarian aid to the Cuban people affected by Hurricane Melissa, which left a trail of destruction in the eastern part of the country.
The news was received with hope and excitement by thousands of Cubans both on and off the island, who demanded that the aid reach the hands of the people directly and not go through the regime's structures.
In an official statement replicated by the Embassy of the United States in Havana, Rubio stated that the assistance “will be directed specifically to the Cuban people, and not to the regime”, emphasizing that the goal is to support the families affected who are facing material losses, flooding, and communication outages following the hurricane's passage.
The gesture indicates a shift in diplomatic tone following the initial announcements of aid from Washington to Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the Bahamas, countries also affected by Melissa, without Cuba being mentioned initially.
The hurricane Melissa, which struck with winds of up to 195 kilometers per hour, devastated the eastern region of Cuba, particularly the provinces of Santiago de Cuba, Holguín, Granma, and Guantánamo.
Thousands of homes were destroyed or seriously damaged, while dozens of communities remain cut off, without electricity or drinking water.
On social media, comments expressing gratitude and hope were intertwined with distrust towards the regime's authorities, whom many accuse of diverting or withholding international donations during previous emergencies.
Opposition leader José Daniel Ferrer expressed gratitude for the solidarity of the U.S. government with those affected, through a post on his X account.
"This is a true gesture of humanity", wrote a user on Facebook, in a post from CiberCuba that has over 2,200 comments.
“We will see if the government accepts it. They don't benefit from aids that don't go through their hands.”, commented another.
“The aid should go directly to the people, because if it’s given to that dictatorship, they will take it and sell it in dollars too. Cuba should allow it to go directly to the people”, wrote a third internet user.
Other users were more emphatic in emphasizing the need to set aside political differences in light of the magnitude of the tragedy. "This is not a time for politics; it is a time to reach out to our hearts and think of the thousands of families that have lost everything," said Bendi Gómez. "That help should be accepted, because the people are suffering and without resources," he added.
“As the government is directly accountable to the people, it will reject it, and that’s when the people have to take to the streets and demand its acceptance,” emphasized a commentator.
The aid proposed by the United States would include food, medicine, rescue equipment, and basic supplies for those affected.
According to diplomatic sources cited by Reuters, the proposal includes the sending of aid packages through international organizations and NGOs with a presence on the island, which would ensure that resources reach those in greatest need directly.
Until now, the Cuban government has not issued an official response regarding Washington's offer. In previous crises, such as hurricanes Ian and Elsa, Havana rejected U.S. aid, claiming that "politically conditioned foreign assistance was not needed."
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