Cuban bishops confirm: U.S. aid will reach the affected without going through the regime

The Conference of Catholic Bishops of Cuba (COCC) confirmed that the humanitarian aid offered by the United States to the victims of Hurricane Melissa will be channeled through the Catholic Church, a detail that implies that the resources will not go through the structures of the Cuban regime.

In an official statement published this Sunday, the bishops announced that the U.S. Administration offered three million dollars in humanitarian aid, which will be sent “through institutions of the Catholic Church in that country” to assist “directly those affected by Hurricane Melissa.”

This formulation— which indicates a direct Church-to-Church route and does not mention the intervention of the Cuban State— is interpreted as a confirmation that the distribution will not be conducted through official government channels.

The Catholic Bishops and Cáritas of Cuba are taking necessary steps and engaging in useful and positive discussions with all parties to ensure that this offer can become a reality,” states the statement released from Havana.

The text, issued by the General Secretariat of the COCC, emphasizes that the Church "wants to continue responding to its vocation in the new circumstances that history presents to us," highlighting its role in serving and being close to the poorest and most in need.

The announcement comes just hours after the Office of Western Hemisphere Affairs of the Department of State (WHA) reported that Washington will coordinate with the Catholic Church the direct delivery of humanitarian funds, so that they reach “those who were most impacted by the devastation of Hurricane Melissa.”

"United States is coordinating with the Catholic Church the distribution of three million dollars in humanitarian assistance directly to those who were most affected in the east of Cuba. Our prayers are with the brave Cuban people," posted WHA on its official account on X.

With this move, the Catholic Church in Cuba is becoming the trusted channel chosen by Washington to ensure that the aid reaches those affected without involvement from the Cuban state apparatus, a decision that breaks with the historical practice of centralizing international aid under government control.

The bishops also requested prayers and solidarity for the residents of the most affected dioceses—Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, Bayamo, and Holguín—and called for support to ensure that efforts "achieve a satisfactory outcome and contribute to the well-being of those affected."

In her final message, the COCC invoked Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre, patroness of Cuba, to “grant the hope and brotherhood that the Cuban people so desire and need.”