China Provides Emergency Kits for Hurricane Melissa Victims in Eastern Cuba

The Chinese Red Cross has dispatched a thousand emergency family kits to Cuba, targeting the eastern provinces devastated by Hurricane Melissa. This marks the initial international humanitarian aid shipment following the storm.

China's ambassador in Havana, Hua Xin, announced via the social media platform X that these supplies were prepositioned and sent from Havana ahead of the hurricane's arrival. They are now being distributed in the hardest-hit areas. The ambassador emphasized that the Chinese people "stand with the Cuban people during challenging times" and affirmed that Beijing will continue to offer support as the situation unfolds.

The kits, which include essential hygiene products, warm clothing, and necessary utensils, were sent through the Cuban Red Cross in collaboration with local authorities and the regime's military.

Cuba's Foreign Ministry publicly expressed gratitude with a message on X: "We appreciate the donated family kits now being sent to the eastern provinces affected by Hurricane Melissa. A gesture of friendship and solidarity that directly reaches those in need."

The National Television News reported that Cuba's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX) also acknowledged contributions from both China and the United Nations system. UN agencies have started delivering emergency supplies, including 5,000 basic health modules, 42,000 chlorine tablets, and power generators. Meanwhile, the official daily Granma highlighted that China's aid was "the first international assistance extended to Cuba," adding that Venezuela also sent 26 tons of aid, and the UN activated an emergency fund to support both Cuba and Haiti.

While the government emphasizes cooperation with its political allies, Cubans both on the island and abroad have mobilized to directly aid affected families. In Miami, the Cuban community has launched the "Help for Eastern Cuba" campaign, gathering donations from artists, activists, and ordinary citizens to send food, medicine, and clothing to Santiago de Cuba, Holguín, Granma, and Guantánamo. "This isn't a political gesture; it's an act of love and humanity," declared rapper Zurdo MC, one of the campaign's organizers.

Within Cuba, the Conference of Catholic Bishops announced that Caritas is prepared to channel national and international aid, describing the eastern situation as "a catastrophe of enormous proportions" affecting over a million people.

This Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared Washington's willingness to send humanitarian assistance "without regime intermediaries." From Havana, Deputy Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío confirmed that Cuba was "in contact with the State Department to understand the offer's details," while Cuban Ambassador in Belgium Juan Antonio Fernández Palacios labeled the proposal as "charity," sparking diverse reactions on social media.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez thanked Venezuela's support following Hurricane Melissa and quoted José Martí on X: "Doing is the best way of saying." Simultaneously, the U.S. State Department released a guide for channeling private donations to the Cuban people through humanitarian licenses and legal avenues.

Hurricane Melissa has left a grim landscape in eastern Cuba: thousands of homes destroyed, communities without power or clean water, and severe infrastructure damage. Organizations like UNICEF have confirmed they have prepositioned supplies in the country—hygiene kits, water purification plants, and educational materials—to assist affected families, especially children and adolescents.

However, skepticism grows on social media and independent outlets regarding the fate of international donations. Many citizens recall past crises where aid was restricted, resold, or never reached those in need, fueling public distrust toward the state's control over international assistance.

While the regime expresses gratitude to its allies and maintains an ideological stance toward the United States, the people in the east continue to wait for aid to genuinely reach those in need, rather than getting lost in slogans and bureaucracy.