"If I had closed my eyes and opened them in those neighborhoods, it would be as if I were in Africa." With this statement, Mike Hammer, the chargé d'affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Cuba, made one of the harshest comparisons heard in recent months regarding the crisis on the Island, asserting that the poverty he witnessed in Cuban communities affected by Hurricane Melissa reminded him of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, one of the poorest countries on the planet.
Hammer made the statements during an interview with journalist and host Enrique Santos on the iHeartRadio program, where he shared his experiences after traveling through various Cuban provinces and speaking directly with residents.
According to his explanation, he had just returned from a tour of the eastern region of the country, where he visited areas affected by the cyclone. It was there, he stated, that he was struck by what he described as "extreme misery."
"The only difference is that these areas were electrified. But when I asked them if the pressure cooker worked, they told me yes... and then they clarified that they only have electricity for a few hours a day," he commented in the interview with Santos.
The diplomat assured that what he saw is not a recent disaster caused solely by the hurricane, but rather the result of years of deterioration and neglect. “This didn’t happen overnight… people feel abandoned,” he said.
Humanitarian aid channeled through Cáritas
Hammer also mentioned that the Donald Trump administration has approved millions of dollars in humanitarian aid for Cuba, primarily intended for those affected by Hurricane Melissa.
On Enrique Santos' program, it was stated that an initial amount of 3 million dollars has been approved, followed by an additional 6 million. These funds, as explained, are disbursed through Cáritas Cuba and the Catholic Church to ensure they reach those in dire need directly.
In an additional interview with Telemundo 51, Hammer provided details about the delivery process, mentioning that four flights with supplies had already been completed, two to Holguín and two to Santiago de Cuba, and that a shipment by boat was also being prepared.
According to their account, the aid includes basic products such as rice, beans, oil, rechargeable lamps, pressure cookers, and water purification systems.
“Your heart breaks”: elderly people searching for food in the garbage
Beyond the numbers, Hammer emphasized the human impact of the crisis. He stated that during his visits to Cuban neighborhoods, he witnessed scenes that were previously unthinkable in the country: elderly people searching through trash bins, children begging for food, and an increase in crime driven by desperation.
"That's something you see every day now. It's so sad... it breaks your heart," she expressed.
She also mentioned that several women cried while expressing their gratitude for the humanitarian aid sent from the United States.
However, the comparison to the Congo did not go unnoticed, particularly since it comes from a diplomat who claims to have traveled across almost the entire Island and has heard firsthand the stories of families marked by hunger, blackouts, and fear.
And as Hammer himself said on Enrique Santos' show, just closing your eyes is enough to understand it.
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