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The ARC Caribe ship of the Colombian National Navy set sail this Friday from the city of Cartagena de Indias with nearly 100 tons of humanitarian aid destined for Cuba, by direct order of President Gustavo Petro.
The operation was coordinated by the Presidential Agency for International Cooperation (APC Colombia) in collaboration with the Presidency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare, the ministries of Agriculture and Energy, the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management, the DIAN, the Colombian Navy, and the Embassy of Cuba in Colombia, reported the APC Colombia account on X.
The shipment includes solar panels, food, medical equipment, and essential supplies.
During the official departure ceremony, the General Director of APC Colombia, Alexandra Yised Palencia Garnica, quoted the phrase "Solidarity is the tenderness of the peoples", presented as the motto guiding the mission.
This is at least the fourth humanitarian shipment from Colombia to Cuba in less than a year under Petro's government.
In November 2025, Colombia sent 22 tons of aid following the passage of Hurricane Melissa, and days later the ARC Victoria arrived on the island with an additional 240 tons destined for the hardest-hit eastern provinces.
In April 2026, a plane from the Military Air Transport Command transported medications, food, and medical supplies, and Petro also announced the shipment of solar panels to the island.
The new shipment arrives amid Cuba's worst recent energy crisis.
In May 2026, the electricity deficit reached a record of 2,153 MW, with blackouts lasting over 20 hours daily in several provinces.
The crisis worsened after the interruption of Venezuelan oil supply, a consequence of the capture of former president Nicolás Maduro in January, and due to the tightening of the U.S. embargo.
Petro has maintained a close political relationship with Havana. In October, he announced that he would not attend the Summit of the Americas due to the exclusion of Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
The United Nations Organization warned last February about a funding gap of 60 million dollars out of the 94 million needed to assist two million Cubans in 63 municipalities across the country.
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