Cuba receives a third humanitarian shipment, a flight of hope for vulnerable families

The Cáritas network prioritizes deliveries to elderly people living alone, pregnant women, children under five, and people with disabilities. (Cáritas Cuba)The arrival of a flight loaded with hope landed with food and hygiene products in Havana, opening a new phase of humanitarian aid destined for vulnerable families in Cuba, amid an economic crisis that during 2026 worsened the difficulties of accessing basic goods and services. The cargo, coming from the United States, was received on Thursday at José Martí International Airport and will be distributed by the Cáritas Cuba network in the Diocese of Pinar del Río. This is the third consecutive delivery to that area of western Cuba since October. The assistance includes 700 food modules and 700 hygiene kits, which will reach homes in the communities served by the parishes of Bahía Honda and Guanajay. This time, the community of San Martín de Porres, in Taco Taco, will be added. The assistance packages contain essential foods, water purification tablets, and rechargeable lamps. (Cáritas Cuba)The food modules contain rice, beans, oil, sugar, spaghetti, sardines, and tuna. The hygiene packages include soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes, water purification tablets, sanitary pads, containers, and rechargeable lamps. The parish network plans to prioritize elderly people living alone, pregnant or breastfeeding women at risk, children under five, and people with disabilities or dependency. Cáritas volunteers make the deliveries through home visits and community distribution points. The program provides that supplies be delivered directly to beneficiaries. Catholic Relief Services (CRS), a Catholic humanitarian organization based in the United States, purchases the products, while Cáritas Cuba coordinates distribution within the island. A flight from the United States brought humanitarian aid to Havana for distribution in the diocese of Pinar del Río. (Cáritas Cuba)The first shipment for the Pinar del Río diocese arrived on October 8, 2026. On that occasion, the products were distributed in rural localities of Candelaria and Quiebra Hacha. The second shipment arrived on October 27 and was directed to communities in Guanajay and Bahía Honda. Each of the deliveries included the same amount of resources: 700 hygiene kits and 700 food modules. With the third flight, the assistance incorporates new communities and sustains distribution in areas that had already received support in previous weeks. The operation is part of a $100 million plan announced on May 8 by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, following a meeting with Pope Leo XIV in Rome. Of that amount, $60 million is channeled through CRS, in coordination with the Catholic Church and Cáritas Cuba. The remaining $40 million is destined for other independent humanitarian organizations. The Pinar del Río diocese received a third shipment following the deliveries received during October in Candelaria, Quiebra Hacha, Guanajay, and Bahía Honda. (Cáritas Cuba)The aid arrives at a time of difficulties in the supply of food, drinking water, and electricity. In October, more than 169,700 people faced serious problems with drinking water supply in Pinar del Río, where 46 pumping units were out of service. The extensive power outages also affected the operation of pumping stations and other services. Some communities accumulated between 67 days and more than three months without piped water, according to data released by Cáritas. The crisis Cuba has been going through for years intensified during 2026 due to several factors. The decline in tourism reduced one of the country's main sources of external income, while fuel shortages and blackouts disrupted transportation, production, and access to water. Added to this scenario is the rising cost of living, which limits the ability of many families to buy food and basic items outside state distribution channels.