The Charge d'Affaires of the United States Embassy in Havana, Mike Hammer, resumed his visits to Cuban neighborhoods this week, this time in Santiago de Cuba, where he visited families affected by Hurricane Melissa and oversaw the delivery of humanitarian aid facilitated through Cáritas Cuba.
In a message posted by the United States Embassy in Cuba on the social network X, Hammer highlighted "the incredible resilience of the Cuban people" and reiterated Washington's willingness to "continue sending humanitarian aid to the Cuban people."
The diplomat accompanied the message with the hashtag #ConCubanosdeaPie, which has defined his strategy of direct contact with the public since his arrival on the island.
During his visit to Santiago, Hammer spoke with neighbors and small entrepreneurs about the situation following the cyclone. “Can you tell me a little about how things are going?” he asked residents who explained that the recovery has been slow and largely dependent on their own efforts.
"Little by little, we were able to rebuild it ourselves," commented one of the affected individuals about his business, which was completely damaged by the hurricane.
The diplomat also expressed interest in the electricity crisis. According to local residents, power outages in the area can last between eight and ten hours daily, a situation that continues to impact both domestic life and economic activity.
Hammer explained that the aid distributed is part of the funds approved by the U.S. government for humanitarian assistance following Hurricane Melissa.
"Through Cáritas Cuba, we are distributing aid from the United States government and we will assess if there is further need. If more is required, that is what we intend to do on behalf of our government, to continue sending support," he stated during the exchange.
Hammer returned to the island after a trip that took him to Spain and Italy, where he maintained an intense schedule of contacts and dialogue with Cuban exiles, the Vatican, and diplomats from regional countries at the Holy See.
This Sunday, in Santiago de Cuba, the neighbors expressed their gratitude for the diplomat's gesture, and he responded by presenting a small "liberty bell" as a symbol of the celebration of the 250th anniversary of American independence.
"Wherever I go this year, we are going to celebrate 250 years of freedom in the United States, and we will ring the bell of freedom together," he stated.
The so-called "street-level diplomacy" has characterized Hammer's approach in Cuba. Since his arrival, he has traveled to various provinces, met with members of civil society, entrepreneurs, and independent journalists, and visited communities affected by energy crises or natural disasters.
These tours have caused discomfort to the regime, which at times has organized acts of repudiation or deployed surveillance to limit their movements.
Amid the current bilateral tension and the tightening of U.S. policy toward Havana, Hammer insists on maintaining direct contact with the citizens.
His message, reiterated in Santiago de Cuba, focuses on a combination of political pressure on the regime and humanitarian support for the Cuban people amid a prolonged economic and energy crisis.
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