The United States Embassy in Havana assured this Tuesday that it will oversee that food and hygiene items sent to Cuba reach needy families directly through the network of local parishes and Cáritas Cuba.
“Direct aid for ordinary Cubans,” stated the diplomatic mission in a message posted on its X account following the arrival in Havana of the first shipment related to the $100 million human assistance package announced by the administration of Donald Trump.
"The United States Embassy in Cuba is committed to ensuring that essential food and hygiene kits reach local parishes directly and into the hands of the Cuban people," they stated in the post.
The shipment was received at José Martí International Airport by Cardinal Juan de la Caridad García Rodríguez; Carmen María Nodal Martínez, director of Cáritas Cuba; and Ángel Miguel Gutiérrez Valdivia, diocesan director of Cáritas Habana.
According to the distribution mechanism explained by Cáritas Cuba, this initial shipment will benefit 700 families from the Archdiocese of Havana, selected according to the vulnerability criteria typically applied by the organization.
The delivery to households will be carried out by volunteers from the parish communities, who are already organized to carry out the process.
Cáritas indicated that the distribution will be carried out with transparency, respect, and close support for the beneficiaries.
The packages contain various essential products that are part of the basic food basket: white rice, black beans, tuna, sardines, vegetable oil, spaghetti, iodized salt, and brown sugar.
In addition, some packages also include flashlights, buckets, toothpaste, and toothbrushes.
As a distinguishing element, the boxes feature the American flag, the Caritas Cuba logo, and the phrase "Donation from the people of the United States of America to the citizens of Cuba."
The shipment departed from Miami bound for Havana on a flight operated by 7Air Cargo.
From the total package of 100 million dollars, Cáritas will channel 60 million, while the remaining 40 million will be managed by independent non-governmental organizations.
It is estimated that the comprehensive package will benefit between 100,000 and 120,000 families across the island, and shipments will continue in successive phases to extend the support to other communities in the country.
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