Cuba: US Aid
Published Thursday, 22 October, 2:40 p.m. ET (2:40 p.m. Havana) · Source: 14ymedio, Cáritas Matanzas
A second US government aid plane landed in Matanzas province, Cuba, on Thursday, 22 October, with 700 food and hygiene kits for poor families, 14ymedio reported. The Catholic Church’s charity, Cáritas Cuba, will hand the kits out, not the Cuban state.
The flight belongs to the US$100 million aid offer at the centre of the Cuba US tensions. It follows a first Matanzas flight on 14 October.
Key Facts
—What happened. A second US aid plane landed at Varadero airport, Matanzas province, on 22 October 2026.
—Cargo. 700 kits of food, hygiene items, water-purification tablets and rechargeable lamps.
—Who delivers. Cáritas Cuba, the Catholic Church’s aid agency, hands out the kits, not the Cuban state.
—The money. The US government programme is worth US$100 million; US$60 million of it runs through the Church.
—What next. Cáritas has identified 2,100 families in the area; 700 received a first load on 14 October.
In plain English
In May, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered US$100 million of food and supplies for Cubans. Washington said it would deliver through the Catholic Church and independent groups, not through Cuba’s government. Havana first called the offer a “fable”, then said it was willing to listen.
What Arrived in Matanzas
The kits hold rice, beans, oil, sugar, pasta, tinned food, toiletries, water-purification tablets and rechargeable lamps. Volunteers of the Nuestra Señora de la Caridad parish, led by priest Enrique Peñate Galán, will deliver them in Unión de Reyes, Bolondrón, Güira de Macurijes and other rural communities.
Cáritas first identified 2,100 families, with priority for people over 60, people with disabilities, the chronically ill, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and children under five. Food shortages and poor access to water were among the selection criteria.
The first load, on 14 October, covered 700 families in Alacranes and San Antonio de Cabezas. Cáritas says they have started receiving their kits.
How the US Programme Works
Rubio announced the US$100 million programme on 8 May, and the State Department formalised the offer five days later. Of the total, US$60 million goes through the Church, with Cáritas Cuba and the US group Catholic Relief Services, and US$40 million through other independent humanitarian groups.
The first delivery arrived in July with 18 tonnes of food and hygiene products. Later shipments reached Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Camagüey and Ciego de Ávila, according to 14ymedio.
Washington set the rule that supplies go straight to people through the Church and independent groups. It says this guards against corruption and interference by Cuba’s government.
What It Means for US Readers
The flights are a visible test of Washington’s promise that US aid reaches ordinary Cubans without passing through the Cuban state. Each new shipment adds to the record of whether that promise holds.
The aid runs alongside the wider dispute over sanctions, blackouts and migration. Follow it on our Cuba news page.
What Is Not Known
Reports do not give the landing time of the 22 October flight. We found no comment from Cuba’s government on this shipment.
It is not yet clear when all 2,100 families will be reached. We found no independent audit of who receives the kits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is delivering the US aid in Cuba?
Cáritas Cuba, the Catholic Church’s aid agency, and parish volunteers hand out the kits to families it has chosen. US group Catholic Relief Services helps supply the Church channel. Washington says the aid does not pass through Cuba’s government.
How much is the US aid programme worth?
The US government announced US$100 million in May. Of that, US$60 million goes through the Catholic Church, Cáritas Cuba and Catholic Relief Services, and US$40 million through other independent humanitarian groups.
What is in the aid kits?
The kits hold rice, beans, oil, sugar, pasta and tinned food, plus toiletries, water-purification tablets and rechargeable lamps. Cáritas says families with the greatest need get priority.
What does the Cuban government say?
Cuba’s foreign minister first accused Washington of trying to deceive people, then said Cuba was ready to hear the details. We found no Cuban government comment on this second flight.
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