Colombian vessel delivers 100 tons of humanitarian aid to Cuba amid U.S. embargo

A Colombian navy ship arrived in Havana on Friday, June 12, carrying nearly 100 tons of humanitarian supplies. The cargo includes non‑perishable food, medicines, hospital equipment, electrical materials, solar panels and about seven tons of items collected by solidarity groups. The vessel departed Cartagena earlier in June and was escorted by a small Cuban auxiliary boat, with Cuban and Colombian officials supervising the unloading at the port.

The shipment follows the recent arrival of a 1,700‑ton aid vessel from Mexico and Belize and is part of a broader aid effort to alleviate Cuba's severe economic and energy crisis caused by the United States' long‑standing embargo. Colombian President Gustavo Petro ordered the aid, and the Colombian Presidential Agency for International Cooperation coordinated the operation. United Nations officials have warned that fuel shortages continue to hinder the distribution of aid throughout the island.