A shipment of humanitarian aid from the United States arrived this Thursday at the "Abel Santamaría" international airport in Santa Clara, with 700 food kits and another 700 hygiene product kits intended for vulnerable families in Quemado de Güines and Rancho Veloz.
Cáritas Cuba reported on the arrival of the shipment, which was received at the airport terminal by Monsignor Arturo González Amador, Bishop of Santa Clara, and Vanesa Hernández Toledo, Director of Cáritas Santa Clara.
The assistance will be distributed in the parish territories of Quemado de Güines and Rancho Veloz, as specified by the Catholic organization.
The Diocese of Santa Clara, whose ecclesiastical territory includes Villa Clara and a large part of Sancti Spíritus, will work alongside the Diocesan Caritas to organize the distribution of products with the support of Caritas Cuba.
In the process, volunteers from both parishes will participate, along with clergy and representatives of the Church who are already coordinating the distribution among the most disadvantaged families.
The arrival of the shipment occurs just one day after the Diocese of Santa Clara announced that it would begin receiving U.S. aid and explained that the beneficiaries would be selected in advance based on their level of vulnerability.
Monsignor González Amador then acknowledged that the available amount would not be enough to reach all those in need.
"We will only be able to assist the most urgent cases and the most painful situations," stated the bishop, who warned that the aid will only provide relief for a few days for the selected families' needs.
"It's a humanitarian aid effort, not a permanent social assistance project," he emphasized.
The religious leader also expressed his hope that the distribution can take place normally: "We hope that this assistance will benefit our people, develop with harmony and serenity, and be a reason for all of us to rejoice with the families that will be helped."
This shipment is part of the 100 million dollar package previously announced by the United States for Cuba.
Of that amount, the Catholic Church, through Caritas, will coordinate the distribution of aid valued at 60 million dollars, including the modules and logistical costs, while the remaining 40 million will be channeled through other organizations.
As previously explained, this is not a delivery of 60 million dollars in cash to Caritas, but rather the value of the assistance and the logistics necessary to reach the beneficiary families.
The aid is directed towards individuals in conditions of extreme vulnerability, regardless of their religious beliefs. González Amador had clarified that it can benefit Catholic families, those of other religions, or those without any religious affiliation.
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