News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Oct. 31, 2025: Despite pressure from the US, Venezuela has dispatched more than 46 tons of humanitarian aid to Cuba and Jamaica in a show of regional solidarity following the catastrophic passage of Hurricane Melissa, which left widespread destruction and loss of life across the Caribbean.
Venezuela has sent aid to help both Cuba and Jamaica.
According to Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil, 26 tons of aid were sent to Cuba and 20 tons to Jamaica aboard a Conviasa Airlines cargo flight from Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía. The shipment includes food, medical supplies, and construction materials destined for the hardest-hit communities.
The delivery coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Cuba-Venezuela Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement, first signed by Hugo Chávez and Fidel Castro, which Gil described as “the seed of what today is ALBA – a project rooted in solidarity and shared humanity.”
Accompanied by Deputy Minister for the Caribbean Raúl Li Causi and Cuban Ambassador Jorge Luis Mayo, Gil also announced that a ship carrying an additional 3,000 tons of aid will depart for Cuba in the coming days.
From Havana, Cuba’s Foreign Ministry thanked Venezuela for what it called “a new demonstration of brotherhood between two nations united by history and resilience.”
However, amid the gratitude, skepticism is growing among Cuban citizens about the distribution and transparency of incoming aid. While Germany, Norway, and the UN’s Emergency Fund (CERF) have also pledged assistance, and the U.S. has offered to send aid “directly to the Cuban people,” many Cubans fear supplies will not reach those most in need – citing past experiences where donations were diverted or resold.
Independent civil society groups such as “Dar es Dar” are organizing parallel relief efforts to deliver food, clothing, and medicine to devastated provinces like Santiago de Cuba, Holguín, Granma, and Guantánamo, though they face bureaucratic restrictions and surveillance from authorities.
As international aid continues to flow in, Cubans are urging for greater transparency and accountability, demanding that assistance reach the families still struggling in the hurricane’s aftermath.
