Chicago – May 29, 2026
The United States is prepared to provide US$100 million in humanitarian assistance to Cuba, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on May 13, 2026.
But there’s a catch.
Neither the Cuban government nor its military would be allowed to manage its distribution. Instead, only humanitarian and faith-based partners, such as Caritas – the Catholic Church’s humanitarian aid network – and other nonprofits would deliver the aid. That is, the U.S. is willing to provide assistance that will help the Cuban people, but it does not trust the Cuban government to distribute it.
A week later, on May 20, Rubio reinforced the caveats that came with the Trump administration’s announcement during a 5-minute video address directed at the Cuban people. In his remarks, which coincided with Cuban Independence Day, he blamed Cuba’s economic problems and chronic energy shortages on its own government.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel has said Cuba would accept the U.S. offer of aid “without ingratitude,” while also criticizing the new approach and urging the U.S. to lift or ease the decades-old embargo.
