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The United States Embassy in Havana informed this Wednesday that it is coordinating the delivery of humanitarian assistance for the victims of Hurricane Melissa.
On social media, the consulate detailed that the Head of Mission, Mike Hammer, met with the bishops of eastern Cuba to identify needs and coordinate the distribution of 3 million dollars intended directly for those affected.
The diplomatic mission reiterated that the aid will be channeled without the intervention of the Cuban government, in line with the announcements made by Washington.
The Embassy specified that assistance will be distributed through the Catholic Church and Caritas, with the aim of ensuring that resources reach the families affected by the storm directly.
The approach aligns with the policy of avoiding government channels, while at the same time prioritizing on-the-ground delivery through church structures with community presence in the hardest-hit areas.
The allocation for Cuba is part of an initial package of 24 million dollars announced by the United States for Caribbean countries affected by Melissa: 12 million for Jamaica, 8.5 million for Haiti, 3 million for Cuba and 500,000 dollars for the Bahamas.
The Embassy emphasized that the amount allocated for the island is part of a regional emergency assistance effort to save lives and address immediate needs arising from the damage caused by the hurricane.
The announcement comes after Washington reaffirmed the commitment to provide immediate humanitarian assistance to the Cuban people affected by Melissa, emphasizing that the distribution channel would be exclusively non-state.
With the support of the bishops of the East and Caritas, the diplomatic office stated that it will continue to coordinate the receipt and distribution of resources to promptly assist those affected.
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