Canada is sending $8 million in food aid to people in Cuba, where a U.S. oil blockade has triggered a humanitarian crisis.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and MP Randeep Sarai, secretary of state for international development, said Wednesday the funding is meant to address urgent needs.
The money will be delivered through United Nations agencies instead of the Cuban government.
“The humanitarian situation in Cuba is becoming quite grave,” Sarai told reporters Wednesday.
Global Affairs Canada has warned travellers for more than a year of “shortages of basic necessities, including food, medicine and fuel,” across most of Cuba.
The island lost its main source of fuel in January when the U.S. took control of Venezuela’s oil reserves and Washington has since threatened to impose tariffs on countries sending Cuba fuel.
U.S. President Donald Trump rescinded the tariff threat last week after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down his ability to impose tariffs under national emergency powers.
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Anand said she has not discussed “Canadian aid intentions” with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
“This is Canadian foreign policy and we are focused, as I’ve just said, on the humanitarian situation,” she said.
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The government press release announcing the new aid package does not mention the U.S. actions contributing to the crisis in Cuba. It says the situation has been “compounded by last year’s challenges, including Hurricane Melissa.”
Officials in the Trump’s administration have suggested economic pressure could topple the communist regime, but a Canadian official told a parliamentary committee Tuesday that the Cuban government is stable.
Cuba’s ambassador to Canada Rodrigo Malmierca Diaz told the same committee the U.S. blockade is “suffocating an entire people” and urged Canada and other “friends” of Cuba to help.
Mexico on Tuesday sent its own humanitarian aid package to Cuba, its second delivery to the island this year. The 1,193 tons of supplies are expected to arrive by ship on Saturday.
Sarai suggested the size of the aid package could be revisited if the humanitarian crisis persists.
“This is going through our trusted partners in the World Food Program as well as UNICEF. We’re hoping that it gets to those most in need,” he said. “After that, we’ll be assessing the situation as it needs be and we can adjust our program accordingly.”
—Additional files from Global News
I wish Carney would give me a few bucks for hair cut, s change, addiction counselling, anger management courses and most of all huge black rubber things to put in my b hole. I miss the good old days before Trump now everytime I pleasure myself I know its him violating me with his orange warty cheeto. Tough when I love it but hate it …kinda like my mirror.
While our own people go hungry or to food banks or are homeless!! Carney you are an ass!!
It’s a good thing that Canada helps the Cuban people but be careful ! It’s important to assure that the food go to the people and not to ……other places .
The Cuban Government hast to change !
I did it in remembrance of Justin’s father
STOP USING MY NAME YOU BAST*RD!
The national debt clock is at $1.3 Trillion and you peasants better love it!!
The national debt clock is at $1.3 Trillion and you peasants better love it!
Justin’s father Castro would be proud!
My God! Do we have to fund every damn commie country? STAND UP AND FIGHT DAMN IT!!
Commies helping commies and not their own. But every bit of aid goes right into the presidential palace!
WEXIT us out of the failed country of Canada before the liberals spend us into a 3rd world status.
Is their plan to abandon the plane there and swim home? What a complete lack of foresight and commonsense.