The United States has donated $100 million in aid to Cuba as authorities say the island country’s national electricity system failed early Thursday and cut off power in the eastern provinces of the island. Cuban leaders said they would accept the aid as long as it came “in full compliance with internationally recognized humanitarian procedures.”
This failure occurred when the American delegation led by the director of the CIA visited Cuba on Thursday and met with Cuban government officials.
The State Department said Thursday that it has provided “$100 million in aid to the people of Cuba to be distributed in cooperation with the Catholic Church and other credible private organizations.”
“The decision rests with the Cuban government to accept our assistance or deny critical life-saving assistance and ultimately hold the Cuban people accountable for standing in the way of critical aid,” the State Department said.
Cuba’s ambassador to the US on Thursday confirmed that the US has officially provided $100 million in aid, but said “it is not clear whether this aid will be in cash or in kind, and whether it will be directed to the urgent needs of the people at this time, such as fuel, food, and medicine.”
“Even looking at the inconsistency of this apparent generosity from a group that punishes the Cuban people for participating in the economic war, the Cuban government, as usual, does not refuse aid given to other countries in good faith and with true intentions of cooperation, whether it is two countries or many countries,” said the ambassador.
The embassy said it hoped the aid would be “free from political control,” and added, “The best aid the US government can provide to the honorable people of Cuba at this time – and at any time – is to reduce the energy, economic, commercial, and financial embargo.”
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel similarly wrote on social media, “If there is a real determination on the part of the United States government to provide aid in the amounts it announces and in full compliance with internationally recognized humanitarian aid procedures, you will not encounter obstacles or ingratitude from Cuba.”
“The damage can be mitigated in a simple and quick way by lifting or easing the blockade,” he added.
The Cuban government and the CIA both said a US delegation including CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited the island on Thursday and held a meeting with the Cuban interior ministry.
“The materials provided by the Cuban side and the exchanges held with the American delegation made it possible to clearly demonstrate that Cuba is not a threat to the security of the United States, and there are no valid reasons to include it in the list of countries, which are suspected of sponsoring terrorism,” the Cuban government wrote.
A CIA official told CBS News that the team met with Raul Rodriguez Castro – the grandson of former President Raúl Castro – Interior Minister Lazaro Alvarez Casas and the head of Cuban intelligence “to personally send a message to President Trump that the United States is willing to get involved in economic and security matters, but only if Cuba makes important changes.”
“During the meeting, Director Ratcliffe and Cuban officials discussed intelligence cooperation, economic stability, and security issues, all against the background that Cuba will no longer be a safe haven for enemies in the Western Hemisphere,” said the official.
After the US military was caught Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January, Mr. Trump has repeatedly suggested that he look at Cuba as well. He has predicted several times that the Cuban government will soon fall, and said he believes “he will have the right to take over Cuba” and that “Cuba will follow.”
In April, Mr. Trump said military action against Cuba is on the cards, telling reporters, “We may go through Cuba after we finish this,” referring to Cuba. The war in Iran.
Senate Republicans last month blocked Democratic efforts to compel the vote in order to prevent Mr. Trump to launch a military attack on Cuba.
Cuba’s aging electricity grid has eroded in recent years as it faces a protracted economic crisis, recently made worse. US blockade of the islandwhere daily life can be a trial for many of the country’s ten million people.
Yamil LAGE / AFP via Getty Images
The state-run Electric Union said the collapse knocked out power in all eastern states from Guantánamo to Ciego de Ávila, saying workers were working to restore power, but did not say how long it would take.
The previous day, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel described the power situation as “tense” after the handover of power. the oil was delivered by a Russian ship in late March it ended. Cuba produces less than 40% of the fuel it needs to develop its economy.
Russia announced plans to send a second fuel tanker to Cuba in early April. According to Russian news reports, the oil tanker left the Russian Baltic port of Vysotsk in January, but got stuck in the same place in the Atlantic Ocean a few weeks ago.
According to the Reuters news agency, Cuban Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy said Wednesday in state media that the island “has absolutely no gasoline, and absolutely no diesel…We have no reserves.”
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Wednesday during a press conference that Mexico has also sent a ship carrying humanitarian aid to Cuba, although she told reporters that because Russia is sending oil, “We are focusing our efforts on providing other types of aid.”
He criticized the US embargo, saying, “We do not agree with it. We have never agreed with it, since it was first imposed in 1962. Therefore, we will continue to send aid to help people in need.”
The blackout in Havana, where authorities have been restoring power, extended to 24 hours in a row on Thursday.
On Wednesday evening, Associated Press reporters saw residents in many areas banging pots and pans and setting trash cans on fire to protest the power outage. Hours later, de la O Levy appeared on Cuban television describing the power situation as “critical.”
Cuba’s electricity supply is collapsing, but the government has also threatened to lift US sanctions after President Trump in January warned of tariffs on any country that sells or supplies oil to Cuba. The Trump administration wanted Cuba release the political prisoners and move towards political and economic liberalization to lift sanctions.
Power outages led to reduced working hours and food spoilage as freezers stopped working. In some cases, hospitals have stopped operations.
