Food, Flashlights and Fans: Floridians Step Up Aid to Cuban Relatives
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- Cuba is experiencing severe food shortages, frequent blackouts, and extreme heat, leading many residents to rely on aid from relatives in Miami.
- South Floridians are sending essential supplies such as canned meats, rice, beans, mosquito nets, flashlights, fans, and clothing to help their families cope with the crisis.
- Informal couriers known as “mulas” are used to deliver goods and cash directly to Cuba, supplementing official shipping channels and online ordering services.
- Jorge Smith, a Cuban American in Miami, is purchasing stronger solar-powered generators to help his daughter and grandson manage the island’s limited electricity, highlighting the hardships faced by both Cubans and Cuban Americans.
- Despite opposing the Cuban government, many Cuban Americans criticize the U.S. oil blockade for worsening the humanitarian situation, arguing it primarily harms ordinary citizens.