From our Bureau of Socialist Compassion and Social Justice
The EU has once again come to the rescue, sending nearly three million dollars worth of stuff to Castro, Inc. that it will sell at inflated prices to Cubans whose homes were recently damaged by two hurricanes and an earthquake. The EU aid package is only one of several such gifts sent to Castro, Inc. in the past few weeks.
Come to think of it, it’s quite possible that the military junta actually prays for natural disasters, knowing that all sorts of goods will be sent by foreigners. After all, the sale of such goods –which are supposed to be distributed for free — is a great source of income.
Loosely translated from Diario de Cuba
The European Union (EU) approved an additional €2.7 million to support recovery efforts in Cuba following Hurricane Rafael and two recent earthquakes that affected the country, the EU delegation in Havana announced on Thursday.
“This amount adds to the efforts the EU has made during 2024 in response to emergencies on the island,” according to a press release from the EU delegation in Havana.
Previously, the EU sent €400,000 for food and medical assistance to mitigate the effects of Hurricane Oscar, which caused significant damage in eastern Cuba in mid-October, particularly in Guantánamo.
In that province, materials for construction and mattresses are being sold to people who lost everything. According to a government decision, these items are available at half price. The Ministry of Finance and Prices established a 50% subsidy for these resources, which authorities described as a “benefit.”
The European Union also financed an airbridge consisting of five flights that transported 107 tons of essential supplies from the European Humanitarian Response Capacity warehouse in Panama. These included medicines, medical supplies and equipment, water tanks and jerry cans, chlorine tablets, hygiene kits, mosquito nets, tents, family shelters, kitchen kits, tool kits, solar lamps, and sleeping mats, as detailed in a previous press release.
Additionally, the EU allocated €200,000 to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). Earlier, in April, the bloc contributed another €200,000 to the IFRC’s Disaster Emergency Fund, according to the press release.
“With this new allocation, the EU’s emergency response support for Cuba during 2024 totals €4 million. These efforts reflect the EU’s ongoing commitment to assisting the most vulnerable populations affected by natural disasters in both Cuba and the region,” the bloc said.
On Sunday, November 24, the Cuban government received humanitarian aid from Brazil consisting of 10 tons of dehydrated food. This shipment was added to 30 water purification units donated by the allied government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. According to Brazil’s ambassador in Havana, Christian Vargas, another shipment with solar panel installation kits and medications will arrive soon.
The United Nations reported on Friday, November 22, that it had increased the funding target to $78.3 million as part of its action plan for the significant damage recently caused in Cuba by two hurricanes, two earthquakes, and a new collapse of the national electrical system.
The original plan was developed in collaboration with Cuban authorities, prioritizing sectors such as water, sanitation, and hygiene; temporary shelters; housing and early recovery; education; logistics; health; food security; and nutrition.
Recently, the government of Nicolás Maduro sent a second ship with 200 tons of aid, including construction materials and support for devastated communities. According to the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry, the first Venezuelan ship was sent on November 6 with over 300 tons of items, including kitchen utensils, 10,000 double mattresses, 10,000 galvanized zinc sheets, 20,000 iron pipes, roof hooks, and personal hygiene products.
continue reading HERE in Spanish
But Carlos, the Castronoids must take advantage of such an opportunity to squeeze even more money from the “diaspora,” who are obviously the intended payers. Any extortion is justified to prop up the “revolution.”