Havana/The Conference of Catholic Bishops of Cuba (COCC) has reported that in the coming weeks they hope to finalize the aid offered by the United States Government for the victims of the Hurricane Melissa in the east of the country. In a statement published this Friday, the prelates point out that they have already received a plane with resources from the Archdiocese of Miami to the Archdiocese of Santiago de Cuba, and confirm that another plane will arrive this Saturday in Holguín.
“Later, two other planes are expected: one for the diocese of Guantánamo-Baracoa, and the other for Bayamo-Manzanillo,” they highlight. The processing and distribution of said aid, valued at three million dollars in resources, will be carried out with the collaboration of Cáritas (the humanitarian organization of the Catholic Church) of both countries, they indicate.
From February 16 to 21 of next year they will travel to the Holy See, as they do every five years, and will meet with Pope Leo XIV
The bishops emphasize that after the passage of Hurricane Melissa, the affected people in the east of the country “are experiencing a catastrophic, very painful and sad situation.” The message adds that from February 16 to 21 of next year they will travel to the Holy See, as they do every five years, and will meet with Pope Leo XIV.
The Office of Western Hemisphere Affairs, under the US State Department, said on November 2 that it was coordinating with the Catholic Church the distribution of assistance “directly to those most affected in eastern Cuba by the devastation” of Hurricane Melissa.
The announcement came after the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, stated on social networks that his country would offer “immediate” humanitarian aid to the “people of Cuba affected” by Melissa. Previously, the head of US diplomacy, of Cuban origin, had left the island off the list by ensuring that the US was in “close contact with the governments of Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas.”
Rubio later added that his Department would issue a Declaration of Humanitarian Assistance for Cuba and was prepared to provide aid “both directly and through local partners who can most effectively distribute it to those who need it.”
Later, the Government of Cuba reported that it had contacted the State Department in Washington and that it was “waiting for clarification on how and in what way they are willing to help.”
Melissa crossed the eastern region of the Island on October 29 with a category 3 (out of 5) on the Saffir-Simpson scale for seven hours, with strong winds, heavy rain and a severe storm surge. Two weeks later, almost 60% of Santiago de Cuba is still without electricity. President Miguel Díaz-Canel, visiting the affected area this Thursday, admitted that the situation is “extremely difficult,” and Prime Minister Manuel Marrero added that more than 149,000 homes and 158,000 hectares of crops are affected.
To help recovery, the Island has received donations from several countries such as Spain, China, India and, above all, Venezuela.
