Marco Rubio says U.S. will offer hurricane relief to Cuba, but not through the government there

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is offering humanitarian aid for Cubans impacted by Hurricane Melissa. But he said it won’t be delivered through the communist government on the island.

“In the wake of Hurricane Melissa’s devastation of eastern Cuba, the Trump Administration stands with the brave Cuban people who continue to struggle to meet basic needs,” Rubio posted on X.

“The United States is prepared to provide immediate humanitarian assistance directly and via local partners who can most effectively deliver it to those in need.”

Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm, made landfall originally in Jamaica on Tuesday with 185 mph winds. It proceeded to do further damage to the Dominican Republic, Haiti and the Turks and Caicos Islands as well.

The storm has since moved away from land into the Atlantic Ocean and does not threaten Florida or the U.S., according to the National Hurricane Center, but a hurricane warning remains in place for Bermuda.

President Donald Trump authorized immediate response by the State Department in all affected countries under Rubio’s direction. The U.S. agency has a website recommending where those interested in helping should direct relief.

For Jamaica, the State Department recommends donations go to a support site set up by the Jamaican government. Rubio said the U.S. government is in contact with most nations about channeling similar support.

“The United States is in close contact with the governments of Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic and The Bahamas as they confront the devastating impacts of Hurricane Melissa. We have rescue and response teams heading to affected areas along with critical lifesaving supplies,” he posted as the storm continued to impact the region. “Our prayers are with the people of the Caribbean.”

But Rubio, a Cuban American and longtime critic of the communist government in Cuba during his tenure as a U.S. Senator, did not include Cuba in that list, and has recommended any relief pass through nongovernmental organizations.

The State Department has recommended that any Americans in the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Turks and Caicos, and Cuba to contact American embassies in those countries for emergency assistance.