The Government of Cuba, through the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carlos Fernández de Cossío, reported through an announcement on social networks about contacts with the State Department to define “how and in what way they are willing to help” those affected by Hurricane Melissa in the east of the island.
In moderate language and opening a door to dialogue and alternatives, Cossío thus reacted to the previous announcement by the United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in which he indicated that his country was prepared to offer “immediate” humanitarian aid to the “people of Cuba affected” by the passage of Hurricane Melissa.
“As a result of public communications today about the damage from the hurricane, we have contacted the (US) Department of State and we are awaiting clarification on how and in what way they are willing to help,” the Cuban vice minister stated on his social networks.
Following public communications today about the damage from the hurricane, we have contacted the State Department and are awaiting clarification on how and in what way they are willing to help.
— Carlos F. de Cossio (@CarlosFdeCossio) October 30, 2025
A few hours later, from the leadership of the Cuban Communist Party there was a radical change in tone and focus in the reaction to the Secretary of State’s announcement.
Unworthy offer of help to victims of hurricane @SecRubio. If it were sincere that the government wanted to support our people, they would have unconditionally lifted the criminal blockade and removed it from the list of states that sponsor terrorism, where we should never have been. pic.twitter.com/bnejDJGwe4
— Dr. Roberto Morales Ojeda (@DrRobertoMOjeda) October 30, 2025
Roberto Morales Ojeda, member of the Political Bureau and Secretary of Organization of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, considered it outrageous the offer made public by Marco Rubio.
“If it were a sincere desire of that Government to support our people, they would have unconditionally lifted the criminal blockade and removed it from the list of States sponsoring terrorism, where we should never have been.”
Other officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, colleagues of Cossío, also made publications in which they emphasize the demand for an end to the sanctions against Cuba.
The vice minister of the Minrex, Anayansi Rodríguez Camejoalso wrote that “if the United States government has any slightest concern about ‘helping the Cuban people’, it should suspend or make humanitarian exceptions to the blockade due to the damage that Hurricane Melissa will cause and is causing,” a phrase taken from Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez’s speech this week at the UN General Assembly.
“No alms or conditions“, published in X the Cuban ambassador to Belgium and to the European Union, Juan Antonio Fernández Palacios.
If the United States government has even the slightest concern about “helping the Cuban people,” suspend or make humanitarian exceptions to the blockade due to the damage that Hurricane Melissa will cause and is causing.#TumbaElLoqueo https://t.co/0UZHC2cMKi pic.twitter.com/McqupywvJF
— Anayansi Rodríguez Camejo (@AnayansiRCamejo) October 30, 2025
In another tweet, he demanded the “suspension of suffocation measures. Allow free flow of goods and services and financial transactions. Humanitarian pause.”
No handouts or conditions.
The international community has overwhelmingly said what they have to do.
Nothing more to say. pic.twitter.com/171B6gFu7k
— Juan Antonio Fernández Palacios (@JuantonioFdez) October 30, 2025
Immediate humanitarian assistance
Marco Rubio had previously written on that same social network that “as in neighboring Caribbean countries, the Department issues a Declaration of Humanitarian Assistance for Cuba and is prepared to provide immediate humanitarian assistance, both directly and through local partners who can distribute it in the most effective way to those who need it.”
A day earlier, the head of US diplomacy, of Cuban origin, left Cuba off the list by assuring that the US was in “close contact with the governments of Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas” due to the ravages of the Melissa and that US rescue teams were heading to the affected areas.
In this new message, the head of US diplomacy included the people of Cuba, but did not provide details of how this aid will be coordinated with the Government of Havana.
