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The Uruguayan government confirmed on Tuesday the shipment of approximately 20 tons of powdered milk to Cuba as humanitarian aid, in an operation coordinated with Mexico, from where the vessel will depart in the coming weeks.
The shipment is part of the humanitarian delivery chain that Mexico has been coordinating since February, which has delivered over 3,125 tons of food, medicine, solar panels, and fuel to the island in four shipments, reported local Uruguayan media.
According to La Prensa de Monagas, the logistical obstacle that initially hindered the initiative has been resolved thanks to coordination with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who has led the regional effort to support Cuba. There is still no exact departure date for the vessel.
The origin of the Uruguayan initiative dates back to February 19, when Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkin announced during a parliamentary inquiry by the opposition that UN agencies specializing in food resources had reached out to Uruguay to explore the possibility of sending aid to the island.
"If there were a possibility to send some powdered milk, humanitarian aid, we would be happy," Lubetkin stated, although he warned that there was a "problem" with transportation.
The chancellor, according to La Diaria, also specified the political scope of the gesture, framing it as a sign of solidarity from Uruguay, not with a country or a regime.
The shipment comes amid the worst energy and food crisis Cuba has faced in decades. In January, the island lost its supply of Venezuelan oil—between 25,000 and 35,000 barrels daily—following the capture of Nicolás Maduro. The situation worsened when the Trump administration imposed tariffs on countries supplying crude oil to Cuba, leading Mexico to also suspend its oil shipments, which had totaled 17,200 barrels daily. Blackouts on the island last up to 25 hours a day, and Cuba's GDP is projected to contract by 7.2% in 2026.
This Tuesday, however, the Russian tanker Anatoli Kolodkin with 740,000 barrels —equivalent to 100,000 tons— of crude oil arrived at the port of Matanzas, marking the first shipment of oil in three months. The White House spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, confirmed that the United States allowed the vessel's entry for humanitarian reasons.
Last Friday, Mexico reported the arrival in Cuba of its fourth shipment of humanitarian aid, with 96 tons of food. That same weekend, two sailboats carrying over fifty tons of medical supplies, food, water, and solar panels also reached the island after being relocated following a loss of contact with the Mexican Navy.
However, the aid initiative is not without controversy. TV Azteca reported in March that Mexican donations, including food, ended up in state-run stores in Cuba for sale rather than for free distribution among the population.
The Mexican Chancellor Juan Ramón de la Fuente summarized the stance of the governments advocating for these shipments: "We will continue to provide all the assistance we can to the Cuban people. These are times for solidarity."
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