China Sends Additional Aid to Cuba as Regime Marks 65 Years of "Strategic Relations"

In the midst of a severe social crisis exacerbated by the devastation of Hurricane Melissa, China has dispatched another shipment of humanitarian aid to Cuba. This comes as the Havana regime grapples with worsening conditions.

According to Alberto Blanco, the Cuban ambassador in Beijing, a maritime shipment carrying vital supplies such as mattresses, roofing materials, and solar lamps for affected families is en route to the island. This information was reported by the state-run newspaper, Granma.

This recent aid follows an air shipment less than a month ago, which included food, emergency supplies, and materials for the hurricane-stricken population. The ambassador emphasized that these efforts are part of a series of solidarity gestures highlighted by the Cuban government amid its economic and infrastructure deterioration.

Survival Through Donations

Official sources indicate that Cuba has received humanitarian assistance from nearly thirty countries so far. This aid includes materials for housing repairs, water purification systems, and essential supplies from UN agencies.

Besides China, other Asian countries like India, Vietnam, and Japan have contributed significantly. India, for instance, provided a mobile field hospital to bolster medical care in the hurricane's most affected provinces.

Furthermore, China recently supplied 5,000 photovoltaic panel kits for isolated homes in the country's far east. This gesture is crucial as Cuba faces an unprecedented energy collapse and daily electrical deficits exceeding 1,800 MW.

This Thursday, it was reported that Venezuela sent a fourth aid shipment to the eastern regions of Cuba hit by Hurricane Melissa, further strengthening bilateral cooperation during this emergency period.

Celebrating 65 Years of Strategic Alliances

The increase in aid coincides with the celebrations of 65 years of diplomatic ties between China and Cuba. The Cuban regime portrays this as an example of “strategic, solid, and growing” cooperation.

Havana highlights that Cuba was the first Latin American country with which Beijing established its "community of shared future" concept, a political model reserved for its closest allies.

Analysts point out that this relationship bolsters China's influence in the Caribbean while providing crucial support to the Cuban regime amid international isolation, internal economic collapse, and increasing pressure from multilateral organizations regarding human rights issues on the island.