The Chargé d'Affaires of the United States in Cuba, Mike Hammer, called this Wednesday for the Cuban people and the victims of Hurricane Melissa, during a visit to the Parish of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre, in Havana.
In a video shared by the U.S. Embassy in Cuba, Hammer expressed his condolences and solidarity with those affected, particularly in the eastern provinces most impacted by the cyclone.
"I have come today to the Virgin of Charity, in the parish in Havana, to express on behalf of the United States embassy here in Havana, and the United States government, that our feelings, thoughts, and prayers are with the Cuban people, especially with all those affected in the east due to Hurricane Melissa. Know that you are always supported from the United States," stated the diplomat.
The gesture from Mike occurs amid a serious humanitarian emergency in eastern Cuba, where Melissa left a trail of destruction, flooding, power outages, and communities cut off. The Cuban Institute of Meteorology (INSMET) confirmed that the hurricane left national territory on Wednesday morning, having passed through Santiago de Cuba and Holguín, with sustained winds of up to 195 km/h and rainfall totals exceeding 300 millimeters.
The U.S. is mobilizing aid to the Caribbean without mentioning Cuba
The message from Hammer comes a day after Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the mobilization of humanitarian aid from the United States to Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the Bahamas, excluding Cuba from the list of benefitting countries.
Rubio explained that Washington maintains "close contact" with those governments to coordinate response and assistance actions, while the Cuban regime has not requested international aid despite the extent of the damages. Historically, Havana has rejected direct assistance offers from Washington, even during natural disasters, maintaining a policy of political isolation in the face of internal emergencies.
The Pope and the UN are also asking for support and prayers for those affected
From the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV joined calls for support for the Caribbean on Wednesday and requested prayers for the victims and those affected by Melissa. In his message during the general audience, the pontiff expressed his solidarity with the communities hit by the cyclone, which he described as a storm of “catastrophic power” and “devastating force.”
In parallel, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) issued an urgent call to local companies in Cuba to provide emergency supplies and logistical services to assist in the humanitarian response. The agency warned that the situation in eastern Cuba is "very difficult," with widespread failures in power and communications in the provinces of Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, Holguín, and Granma.
Melissa: the most powerful hurricane of the year
According to international experts, Melissa is the most intense hurricane of 2025 and one of the most powerful ever recorded in the Atlantic, with winds of up to 295 km/h and a minimum pressure of 892 millibars.
The cyclone devastated eastern Cuba after passing through Jamaica and Haiti, leaving dozens dead and thousands affected in the region. Pope Leo XIV and Chargé d'Affaires Mike Hammer agreed in a common message: the need to support the Cuban people in their reconstruction efforts and in prayer, at a time when the island is facing one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent years.
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