The Cuban content creator Sisi Aguilera posted a video on Facebook in which she openly questions the humanitarian aid from the United States to Cuba, pointing out a contradiction that, in her opinion, leaves the Cuban people caught between sanctions and aid that does not address the underlying issues.
"On one side they tighten and on the other side they loosen. Those who are caught in the middle and continue to be in the middle are the people of Cuba," stated Aguilera.
Your central question directly addresses the scope of humanitarian aid: "What is the purpose of giving beans, rice, and a flashlight to 50%, to 30% of the population? The entire Cuba is dying of hunger".
Aguilera does not reject Washington's solidarity, but insists that the aid does not address the root of the problem.
I believe this is not the help that the people of Cuba need. Because this will only relieve the Cuban's life for two, maybe three days. Two or three days at most, but the reality is different, she pointed out.
"What the Cuban people need today are not temporary solutions. What Cuba needs is to be able to live with dignity, have access to food, medicine, electricity, water, and the opportunity to move forward," said Aguilera in the text accompanying his video.
He also rejected the notion that only part of the island is experiencing the crisis: "And no, it's not just 'half of Cuba' that is suffering. It's an entire country, from one end to the other, facing an increasingly difficult reality."
The Cuban received dozens of supportive messages in the comments on her post. There were also those who urged her to have confidence in the government of the United States.
"Remember that we and the Americans think differently. They operate that way, with their stages and their steps. They distinguish between the people and the dictators. That aid is for the people, but they also know they need freedom, and they will pursue it," said a user.
Another person pointed out: "The thing is, President Trump, no matter how much he wants to push them back, cannot do so. This is not like they think in Cuba; this is not a dictatorship like in Cuba. Here, there is Congress, the House of Representatives, the Senate. There are many steps, apart from examining a country before waging a war."
The context of the donation
The video by Sisi Aguilera arrives after the distribution of humanitarian aid began in the municipalities of Bejucal (Mayabeque) and Alquízar (Artemisa), managed by Cáritas Habana.
The first formal flight under the new U.S. commitment departed from Miami on July 21 with 18 tons of food and hygiene supplies, sufficient for about 700 families in this initial phase.
That shipment is part of the $100 million package announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio on May 8, 2026, aimed at benefiting between 100,000 and 200,000 families across the island.
Washington's strategy deliberately excludes the Cuban government as an intermediary. Funds are channeled through the Catholic Church, Cáritas Cuba, and independent non-governmental organizations.
The regime has described the initiative as "hypocrisy" and political manipulation, demanding that any aid go through state channels.
Marco Rubio has maintained that the only obstacle preventing resources from reaching the people is the government's refusal to allow distribution through unofficial channels.
In parallel with humanitarian shipments, Washington has tightened sanctions against Cuban entities linked to GAESA and the regime's security apparatus, which precisely fuels the contradiction that Aguilera points out.
"If you grip, don't let go. I didn't understand," summarized the Cuban with a phrase that encapsulates the debate her video has sparked both on and off the island.
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