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The Head of Mission at the United States Embassy in Havana, Mike Hammer, made an official visit to Rome on Thursday to meet with representatives of the Vatican and Latin American diplomats, as part of the efforts by President Donald Trump’s administration to strengthen international support for the freedom of the Cuban people.
According to the information provided by the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See, Hammer met with Caritas Internationalis to coordinate the direct delivery of humanitarian aid to Cubans through the Catholic Church, a mechanism that Washington has prioritized to avoid the regime's interference.
The diplomat also participated in a meeting organized by the U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, Joe Donnelly Burch, with a group of Latin American ambassadors accredited to the Holy See.
In the meeting, the deterioration of the economic and social situation in Cuba was discussed, along with the need to work together with the Church to
Hammer also held discussions with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States of the Vatican, with whom he analyzed the role that the Church can play in the current Cuban context, marked by the humanitarian crisis, repression, and the lack of fundamental freedoms.
According to official statements, the Government of the United States is providing direct support to the people of the island by sending humanitarian assistance channeled through church structures, in a strategy aimed at alleviating the impact of the crisis without strengthening the state apparatus.
The visit to Rome is part of a broader tour of Hammer in Europe, aimed at gathering diplomatic support and strengthening alliances in favor of a democratic transition in Cuba.
The approach to the Vatican underscores the importance that Washington places on the historical role of the Catholic Church in mediation and social support processes on the island, at a time that the U.S. administration sees as crucial for the country’s political future.
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