Political situation in Cuba

Cuba receives help from Mexico amid sanctions crisis

The Cuban population has been hit hard by the US sanctions against the country, reports the AP. The health system is on its knees, fuel shortages are causing power outages and many families are without food.

Last week, two Mexican ships arrived with about 800 tons of supplies to help the island, two weeks after US President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on countries that sell oil to Cuba.

70-year-old Guillermo Beltrán was one of those who left the port with two sacks of rice, beans and several other foods.

“I feel very grateful. The Mexican president should be praised to the skies for showing such consideration and action,” he told the AP.

The Cuban government has stated that the supplies will primarily go to families with malnourished children and the elderly.

Cuba's health system on the verge of collapse due to sanctions

The US sanctions against Cuba have led to the country's health system being pushed to the breaking point, reports the AP.

Ambulances are having difficulty refueling, cargo planes that are supposed to import vital supplies are having trouble filling their fuel tanks, and recurring power outages are hitting already strained hospitals.

Both experts and countries warn that the country is facing a humanitarian crisis.

Health Minister José Ángel Portal tells the AP that the sanctions are not only hitting the economy hard, but also threatening basic human security.

- You can't damage a country's economy without affecting its people. This situation can put lives at risk, he says.

According to Portal, those hardest hit are patients with cardiovascular diseases, orthopedic conditions, cancer, and the seriously ill who are in intensive care.