Cuban Bishops Confirm: U.S. Aid for Hurricane Victims Will Bypass Regime Control

The Cuban Conference of Catholic Bishops (COCC) has confirmed that the humanitarian aid offered by the United States to those affected by Hurricane Melissa will be routed through the Catholic Church, ensuring that the resources will not pass through the Cuban regime's channels.

In an official statement released this Sunday, the bishops announced that the U.S. administration has pledged three million dollars in humanitarian assistance. This aid will be sent "via Catholic Church institutions in that country" to provide "direct help to the victims of Hurricane Melissa."

This direct Church-to-Church pathway, which deliberately omits any mention of Cuban state involvement, is seen as confirmation that the distribution will not occur through official government channels.

"The Catholic Bishops and Caritas of Cuba are taking the necessary steps and engaging in constructive and positive discussions with all parties to turn this offer into a reality," the statement from Havana declared.

The document, issued by the COCC's General Secretariat, emphasizes the Church’s desire to "continue fulfilling its vocation under the new circumstances history presents us," highlighting its role in serving and being close to the poorest and most in need.

This announcement comes shortly after the State Department's Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (WHA) declared that Washington will coordinate with the Catholic Church for the direct delivery of humanitarian funds, ensuring they reach "those most affected by the devastation of Hurricane Melissa."

"The United States is working with the Catholic Church to distribute three million dollars in humanitarian aid directly to those most impacted in eastern Cuba. Our prayers are with the courageous Cuban people," the WHA stated on its official X account.

With this approach, the Catholic Church in Cuba becomes Washington’s trusted channel to ensure that aid reaches the victims without state interference, a decision that breaks away from the historic practice of channeling international aid through government control.

The bishops also called for prayers and solidarity for the residents of the most affected dioceses—Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, Bayamo, and Holguín—and requested support to ensure that the efforts "achieve a successful outcome and contribute to the well-being of those affected."

In their concluding message, the COCC invoked the Virgin of Charity of Cobre, Cuba’s patron saint, to "grant the hope and fraternity that the Cuban people so desperately yearn for and need."