Cuban crisis deepens as archbishop says aid insufficient amid US $100 million humanitarian package

Archbishop Dionisio García Ibáñez of Santiago de Cuba warned that the humanitarian assistance reaching Cuba is far from enough to meet the population’s needs. In a Sunday homily he said, “There are so many people seeking assistance. And the assistance that arrives simply isn’t sufficient.”

The United States has confirmed a $100 million aid package for the island, with $60 million channeled through the Catholic Church and $40 million through other NGOs. Caritas Cuba has already delivered most of an initial $3 million donation, helping roughly 8,800 households, but fuel shortages and power outages continue to hamper distribution. The UN has appealed for $94 million to assist two million Cubans, while more than 100,000 patients, including 11,000 children, await surgeries delayed by shortages of electricity and medical supplies. The archbishop called for humility, self‑sufficiency and spiritual strength as Cubans confront the deepening crisis.