International Solidarity with Cuba in the Face of Hurricane Damage

by María Josefina Arce

Cuba, which has never hesitated to lend a helping hand to many peoples of the world, even in the most difficult circumstances, is today the recipient of international solidarity in the face of the serious damage caused by the recent passage of Hurricane Oscar in the eastern part of the country, especially in Guantanamo.

Once again, Mexico has shown the special bond that unites it with the Caribbean nation and has immediately expressed its willingness to cooperate in repairing the damage.

The government of the Latin American nation, in collaboration with the Mexican company Richmeat, located in the Mariel Special Development Zone in western Cuba, donated 100 tons of meat for the inhabitants of Guantanamo, a significant support to the government's relief efforts for the many victims.

The United Nations system, which for decades has accompanied Cuba in its efforts to improve the welfare of its citizens, even in the face of the restrictions imposed by the U.S. blockade, also expressed its willingness to work with the authorities to support the recovery of the affected areas and to reach every citizen.

The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Cuba, Francisco Pichón, pointed out that a permanent dialogue is being maintained with the government in order to know the priorities and to support the most vulnerable sectors.

And as a sign of this willingness, donations from UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, have already arrived on Cuban soil.

The agency has sent medicines and consumables that will support the medical care of some 140,000 people.

The WFP, the World Food Program, has also contributed with technical equipment and the delivery of food modules for the inhabitants of the Guantanamo localities most affected by the hurricane.

According to the needs identified, the WFP sent tents, mobile warehouses and off-grid lighting towers.

The Cuban government has expressed its gratitude to the many countries and international organizations that have expressed their support to Cuba for the double impact of the complex situation of the electric power system and the devastating passage of Hurricane Oscar.

Cuba and its people greatly appreciate the countless expressions of solidarity, including from friendship groups, which have always been present in particularly adverse situations for the Caribbean nation and in the decades-long struggle to lift the U.S. blockade.