Mike Hammer, the lead diplomat at the United States Embassy in Cuba, held a meeting on Tuesday with Father José Conrado Rodríguez Alegre, a Cuban Catholic priest renowned for his outspoken advocacy for human rights and criticism of the Cuban regime. Father Conrado traveled from Trinidad specifically for this meeting.
On his official X account, Hammer expressed that it was "an honor and pleasure, as always," to meet with Father Conrado, noting that the priest came to "share his concerns and aspirations for everyday Cubans." Hammer described him as "a powerful voice that reflects his love for the homeland."
This meeting is not their first encounter. On February 1st, Hammer visited Father Conrado at the San Francisco de Paula Church in Trinidad, located in the province of Sancti Spíritus, during a tour of Cuban provinces. After that meeting, Hammer remarked, "I am inspired every time I speak with him."
The February visit was not without its challenges. Supporters of the regime confronted and insulted Hammer as he left the church in Trinidad, and a second protest was organized that night when he arrived in Camagüey.
The Legacy of Father José Conrado
Born in San Luis, Oriente, in 1951, Father José Conrado has served as a parish priest in Trinidad since 1997 and is one of the most vocal critics of the Cuban regime among Catholic priests.
Over the years, he has penned open letters to Fidel Castro (1994), Raúl Castro (2009), Vladimir Putin (2022), and Pope Francis (2022), criticizing oppression, human rights abuses, and the Church's silence in the face of dictatorship.
In June 2024, he signed a letter with two other priests calling for "urgent reforms" in Cuba.
U.S. Strategy of Humanitarian Aid and Diplomacy
This second meeting between Hammer and Father Conrado comes shortly after Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican to coordinate expanded humanitarian aid to Cuba, channeled exclusively through the Catholic Church to bypass the regime.
After his meeting with the Pope, Rubio disclosed that the U.S. had offered $100 million in humanitarian aid to Cuba, which the regime has refused to distribute. He also announced an additional $9 million for victims of Hurricane Melissa, aimed at assisting 24,000 people in eastern Cuba, supplementing the $6 million sent in February through Caritas Cuba.
Washington's strategy of leveraging the Cuban Catholic Church—both its leadership and dissident priests like Father Conrado—as a conduit for humanitarian aid and political pressure frames this series of diplomatic engagements.
In February, Hammer also met with opposition leader Manuel Cuesta Morúa and the Secretary of State of the Holy See, reinforcing a diplomatic approach that blends direct engagement with civil society and coordination with the Church.
Hammer summarized his perspective to over a hundred Cubans in Madrid on February 18th: "Change in Cuba is not just possible; it is inevitable."
FAQs on U.S.-Cuba Relations and Humanitarian Aid
What was the purpose of Mike Hammer's meeting with Father José Conrado?
The meeting aimed to discuss concerns and aspirations for the Cuban people, reflecting on Father Conrado's advocacy for human rights and his critical stance against the Cuban regime.
How is the U.S. providing humanitarian aid to Cuba?
The U.S. is channeling humanitarian aid through the Catholic Church to circumvent the Cuban regime, with recent offers including $100 million in aid and an additional $9 million for hurricane relief.
Who is Father José Conrado?
Father José Conrado Rodríguez Alegre is a Cuban Catholic priest known for his vocal criticism of the Cuban government and his advocacy for human rights, serving as a parish priest in Trinidad since 1997.