Second Humanitarian Aid Shipment from the U.S. Reaches Diocese of Pinar del Río

A second shipment of humanitarian aid from the United States arrived in Cuba on Tuesday, delivering 700 food kits and an additional 700 hygiene modules for families facing severe hardships within the Diocese of Pinar del Río.

Catholic organization Cáritas Cuba announced the arrival of this new batch, funded by the U.S. government, which aims to broaden the distribution of essential goods in the impoverished communities of western Cuba.

This time, the assistance will be distributed in rural areas and communities of the Guanajay and Bahía Honda parishes. Although these areas are administratively part of the Artemisa province, they fall under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of Pinar del Río.

According to the organization, Italian priests Daniele and Damiano, along with local volunteers, will oversee the direct delivery of these supplies to the selected households.

"Solidarity continues for those most in need within the Diocese of Pinar del Río," Cáritas emphasized in their statement.

The organization explained that its goal is to provide material relief and support to families struggling to access food and basic hygiene products.

This marks the second shipment of U.S. aid to the diocese in October. The initial delivery arrived at Havana's José Martí International Airport on October 8, also containing 700 food kits and 700 hygiene modules.

That first batch was received by Bishop Juan de Dios Hernández Ruiz of Pinar del Río and Abel Castillo López, director of Cáritas in the diocese, alongside volunteers from the institution.

The initial beneficiaries included families from Candelaria and Quiebra Hacha, communities within Artemisa, where parish teams had previously identified those with particularly urgent needs.

On October 10, Cáritas volunteers began distributing the kits directly in six rural communities of Candelaria: Mango Dulce, Bayate, La Picadora, Tabaco Rubio, El 20, and Barrancones.

The food packages comprised rice, beans, oil, sugar, pasta, and canned fish. The hygiene modules contained personal care items, detergent, water purification supplies, and other useful household products.

The primary recipients of this aid are elderly individuals living alone, pregnant women, nursing mothers, young children, people with disabilities, and those who require assistance with daily activities.

The distribution in Pinar del Río is part of a broader $100 million humanitarian program announced by the U.S. administration, aimed at sending food and essential items to Cuban families through independent organizations.

Out of this funding, $60 million is channeled through Cáritas Cuba and Catholic Relief Services (CRS), while the remaining $40 million is allocated to other participating organizations.

The supplies are purchased in the United States and distributed in Cuba via diocesan and parish networks, without direct administration by the Cuban government.

This program has also been extended to other provinces. On October 14, the Diocese of Matanzas received its first shipment of aid from the U.S., designated for households previously identified by volunteers.

Nevertheless, the Catholic Church has acknowledged that the available resources fall short of covering all those in need. In August, church authorities explained that distributions would be based on vulnerability criteria, without religious or political discrimination.