The Cuban influencer and opposition figure Alexander Otaola questioned the conditions under which aid from the United States will be delivered to Cuba following the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa, and insisted that the distribution should be organized by Washington's allies on the island, and not by the regime of Miguel Díaz-Canel.
"The aid should be channeled through the United States Embassy in Cuba, the Guantanamo Naval Base, and religious organizations, but I have my reservations about that because remember that we once sent five containers of aid through Christian churches, and those institutions were unable to defend the shipments," the communicator recalled during his program.
"That time, all of Miami mobilized; we donated basic items. The aid was held up at the port of Mariel, and they gave the church a thousand justifications, but in the end, it was never known where the things from the containers ended up," lamented the communicator.
This Sunday, the U.S. government confirmed the allocation of three million dollars in humanitarian aid for Cubans affected by Hurricane Melissa. The Office of Western Hemisphere Affairs of the Department of State (WHA) stated that the aid will be distributed in coordination with the Catholic Church.
A day earlier, Otaola warned that they have had experiences in previous donations that demonstrate the corruption of the Cuban system. "They then sell the aid in dollar stores, and family members in Cuba have to buy what you donated," he said.
The influencer explained that some private businesses in the United States have the option to use expedited licenses to send humanitarian aid to Cuba, although he warned that this route does not guarantee that the resources will reach those in need.
In his view, "Cubans do not need a new mattress; they need freedom, and we must blame the dictatorship for these damages that exploits and oppresses people in Cuba."
Otaola insisted that U.S. aid should be delivered directly by opposition members within the island: “The idea is that activists from Cuba Decide, UNPACU, and other opposition organizations should distribute the aid. They can have direct contact with those affected,” he stated.
The situation in the eastern part of the country is critical. Thousands of families have lost everything after Hurricane Melissa, which left many communities without electricity, without water, and facing food shortages.
The Cuban government has criticized the conditions set by the United States for the delivery of humanitarian aid and has not yet confirmed whether it will accept international assistance.
In the midst of the controversy, Miguel Díaz-Canel stated that Cuba "appreciates any assistance as long as it is sincere and respects our sovereignty and laws," in a message that was interpreted as a rejection of the conditions set by the U.S. government.
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