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The influencer and Cuban opponent Alexander Otaola criticized this Sunday the announcement by the United States government to channel humanitarian aid for the victims of Hurricane Melissa in Cuba through the Catholic Church, stating that this path could end up benefiting the communist regime.
In a post on his Facebook account, Otaola wrote: “Sending aid to the Cuban people through the Catholic Church is the same as giving it to the Religious Affairs Department of the PCC. Cash in hand. The same mistakes cannot be repeated. #lostaid U.S. Department of State.”
The message sparked an intense discussion on social media, with hundreds of comments split between those who supported his stance and those who accused him of "politicizing" humanitarian aid.
While some users agreed with him—asserting that "the Catholic Church in Cuba is controlled by the regime" and that "aid should be delivered directly to the people"—others defended the role of the clergy in sending donations and criticized the host for "discrediting institutions that have helped the people for years."
This post from Otaola comes shortly after the Office of Western Hemisphere Affairs at the State Department (WHA) announced the allocation of three million dollars in humanitarian assistance for Cubans affected by Hurricane Melissa, to be distributed in coordination with the Catholic Church.
According to the WHA, the goal is for aid to reach "those in eastern Cuba who were most affected by the devastation of Hurricane Melissa," reinforcing Washington's commitment to support the Cuban people without the mediation of the regime.
One day before its publication, during his program, Otaola had requested that the aid be delivered directly by opposition members within Cuba, such as members of Cuba Decide or UNPACU, to ensure that the resources truly reach those affected.
"Assistance 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, we once sent five containers of aid through Christian churches, and those institutions could not defend the shipments," the communicator explained.
Otaola recalled that on that occasion the donations were held up at the port of Mariel and “it was never known where they ended up.” He also denounced that “later they sell the aid in stores for dollars, and families in Cuba have to buy what you donated.”
In his opinion, the underlying problem is not the logistics of distribution, but rather the lack of freedom on the island. “Cubans do not need a new mattress; they need freedom, and we must blame this harm on the dictatorship that uses and oppresses people in Cuba,” he stated.
The hurricane Melissa, which struck the eastern part of Cuba on October 29, left thousands of people affected and caused severe damage to homes, crops, and electrical networks in the provinces of Guantánamo, Granma, Holguín, and Santiago de Cuba.
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