Cubans begin receiving food donated by Mexico as the situation in the country worsens

Описание: (19 Feb 2026)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Havana, Cuba - 19 February 2026
1.⁠ ⁠Guillermo Beltrán and his daughters entering the house with Román
2.⁠ ⁠SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Guillermo Beltrán, single father:
“This means tremendous joy for me and my daughters because the truth is, the situation has been difficult for us. When my colleague called me and said, ‘Come and pick up the aid package that came from Mexico,’ I said, ‘Hey, that’s great. It’s not that I feel good; I’m super grateful.”
3.⁠ ⁠Various of Beltrán family unpacking the food
4.⁠ ⁠SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Guillermo Beltrán, single father:
“What (Donald Trump) has done is an outrage. Last night we were without electricity for many hours, and they cut it off again this morning. It's inhumane. At some point, they will have to reflect because we are only here for a time; we are not eternal. What they are doing to Cuba is an outrage.”
5.⁠ ⁠Beltrán signing for the delivery of aid food
STORYLINE:
Food donated by Mexico was available on Thursday at government stores, with priority given to families with children.

Guillermo Beltrán could not go to the store, but his parcel was delivered to his home in the Plaza, a district of the capital, Havana.

He received two large bags free of charge, containing one kilo of rice, another of beans, three of amaranth, and two of cookies, as well as a bottle of oil, two large cans of sardines, and another of canned peaches. The product labels read: “Made in Mexico.”

The family of this single father of two daughters was among several hundred households that received a food donation from as part of the emergency humanitarian aid announced by President Claudia Sheinbaum following the imposition of tougher U.S. sanctions on the island.

“This means tremendous joy for my daughters and me, because the truth is that the situation has been made difficult for us,” said Beltrán as he thanked the President Sheinbaum.

The 70-year-old said that, like many Cubans, he was without electricity all night and again this morning.

Two Mexican Navy ships carrying food and personal hygiene products arrived in Havana last week, two weeks after US President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on countries that sell oil to Cuba, deepening an already severe economic and energy crisis in the Caribbean nation.

The Cuban government said that Mexican aid will be used to support vulnerable families with underweight children or elderly people in the provinces of Mayabeque, Artemisa, and Havana.

The products are delivered to the so-called bodegas, the state-owned retail stores that supply Cubans with basic goods, mainly through the ration card system.

The economic crisis that Cuba has been suffering since the beginning of the decade and a marked increase in US sanctions pushing for a change in the island's political model were already causing shortages and severe blackouts, which worsened in January and February due to a lack of fuel to generate electricity or power the economy.

Cuba relied heavily on oil shipments from Venezuela that were halted when the U.S. attacked the South American country in early January and arrested its leader.

Because Cuba produces only 40% of its required fuel, it remains highly vulnerable to external blockades. While strong allies like Russia and China have condemned the U.S. measures, their support has remained largely symbolic.

AP Video shot by Milexsy Durán

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