The Biden administration decided to send emergency aid to Cuba to alleviate the ravages of Hurricane Ian, official sources confirmed. The aid is valued at 2 million dollars.
“Following the devastating impact of Hurricane Ian, the United States is providing the Cuban people with critical humanitarian assistance through trusted international partners working directly with Cubans whose communities were devastated by the storm,” said this Tuesday State Department spokesman Ned Price.
In a tweet, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez expressed: “We appreciate the offer of humanitarian aid from the United States. The material contribution valued at 2 million dollars through the International Federation of the Red Cross will contribute to our recovery and support efforts for those affected by the ravages of Hurricane Ian”. The tweet was reproduced by the Foreign Ministry.
The US spokesman added that the aid will come from the funds of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
“The United States will work with trusted independent organizations that operate in the country and have a long-standing presence in communities affected by the hurricanes. We are currently reviewing requests from organizations such as the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to provide this assistance,” Price said in the State Department statement.
And he stressed that the United States “will continue to monitor and assess humanitarian needs in coordination with our trusted partners and the international community,” and that “we will continue to review ways to provide significant support to the Cuban people in accordance with the laws and regulations” of his .
Cuba confirms that it has maintained contacts with the US on damage caused by Hurricane Ian
The announcement comes more than two weeks after Ian struck the western region of the island in late September, causing extensive damage to the electricity generation system.
Before Ian, Cuba was already experiencing a profound energy crisis, especially after a fire in August that affected the Matanzas Supertanker Base, some 96 kilometers from Havana.
