Cuba: No Real Offer Came from Washington for Help After Hurricane Melissa

“No concrete offer.” Cuban diplomat Johana Tablada calls out the U.S. for claiming it offered humanitarian aid — without ever following through. Meanwhile, other nations and UN agencies have already acted.

TRANSCRIPT

“Yesterday, our Embassy in Washington contacted the U.S. Department of State regarding its most recent statement,” said Johana Tablada, Deputy Director for U.S. Affairs at Cuba’s Foreign Ministry. 

“I can assure you that, so far, the United States has neither made any concrete offer nor responded to the questions raised about the announcement made by the Secretary of State. Other countries and United Nations agencies have indeed made offers, which have already been fulfilled or are in the process of being fulfilled.”

“At no point has the Cuban government set any extraordinary conditions,” explained Tablada. “In recent years, during disaster situations, the United States has made respectful offers to Cuba and the Cuban people, which were successfully carried out. As for individuals and organizations in the United States who are willing and interested in providing assistance—whether to victims or their families, or to specific people or groups—there are several channels available to do so, and those channels are working.”

“Naturally,” the Cuban official concluded, “they must overcome the restrictions imposed by the U.S. government.”