Activists say that support supply is small ‘gesture of solidarity’ meant to attract consideration to US vitality blockade.
Revealed On 24 Mar 2026
The primary boat in a humanitarian support flotilla has arrived in Cuba to assist the island amid a worsening US vitality blockade that’s deepening its financial and vitality crises.
A ship carrying about 30 individuals, together with meals, medication, photo voltaic panels, and bicycles, arrived in Havana, the capital metropolis, on Tuesday, a part of the “Nuestra America” or “Our America” convoy that set out from Mexico final week.
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“Any such financial warfare shouldn’t exist, this angle of a pirate state that doesn’t respect worldwide legislation,” activist Thiago Avila mentioned of the US blockade, which Cuban authorities say has resulted in an almost whole ban on petroleum imports over the past three months.
“These ships are a drop in an ocean of want,” Avila mentioned. “On the identical time, it’s a gesture of solidarity.”
The convoy comes as US President Donald Trump and his allies proceed to precise their want for regime change in Cuba, utilizing better vitality restrictions to additional degrade the Cuban economic system. Trump has acknowledged that he may “take” Cuba and choose a authorities extra amenable to US calls for.
The vessel on Tuesday — referred to as the “Granma 2.0” in reference to the boat that ferried Cuban revolutionaries led by Fidel Castro to the island as a part of an effort to overthrow the regime of US-backed strongman Fulgencio Batista — departed from Puerto Progreso, in Merida, Mexico, final week. Two different vessels are additionally en route.
Greater than 650 members from 33 international locations arrived on the island final weekend as a part of the flotilla and had been greeted by President Miguel Díaz-Canel.
The US has had an financial embargo in place in opposition to Cuba for many years, however the vitality restrictions have lower off an important financial lifeline and contributed to a collection of widespread blackouts.
Cuba’s Deputy Minister of Power and Mines Argelio Abad Vigo acknowledged final week that the island, which produces solely about 40 p.c of the gasoline it wants, has gone for 3 months with out entry to very important provides of diesel, gasoline oil, petrol, jet gasoline, and liquefied petroleum gasoline.
A February YouGov ballot discovered that 46 p.c of individuals within the US disapprove of the vitality blockade, whereas 28 p.c assist it. A small plurality of 29 p.c additionally mentioned that the US strategy in the direction of Cuba was too harsh, whereas 26 p.c mentioned it was about proper. Solely 11 p.c mentioned the strategy was too lenient.
