U.S. Government Response to Hurricane Dennis in Cuba

On July 10, the U.S. Interests Section informed the Cuban Government that the U.S. we were prepared to provide immediate humanitarian assistance of emergency supplies, including blankets, water bottles, first aid kits, plastic sheeting, etc. to those Cubans affected by the hurricane.  The Castro government rejected this offer.

We also offered to deploy a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to independently help determine what relief supplies were most needed.  A DART is a rapid response management team composed of disaster relief specialists who conduct assessments, identify and prioritize needs, manage onsite relief activities, recommend response actions, and coordinate with affected country and other response organizations. The teams are typically deployed after devastating disasters of significant magnitude.  The Castro government also rejected this offer. 

Cuban refusal to permit a DART assessment impedes the ability not only of the U.S. Government, but also of private donors and the international community, to determine the most pressing needs of the Cuban people and to deliver appropriate assistance.

Despite the Cuban Government’s refusal to accept U.S. aid, USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) has authorized double the amount usually provided for immediate relief, up to $100,000 in grants to non-governmental organizations to help meet the needs of the victims of Hurricane Dennis.

The U.S. Government is taking steps to provide these disaster relief funds to appropriate NGOs, which will seek to deliver relief provisions as quickly as possible directly to the Cuban people. 

One such NGO has already sent nearly 3,000 pounds of disaster relief aid, including food and medicine, water purification tablets, flashlights, and other basic supplies.

On July 13, we again approached the Cuban Government to offer assistance to the Cuban people, urging it to allow the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian supplies to the island to the U.S. Interests Section for distribution directly to the Cuban people.  The Castro government has categorically rejected this offer.

Castro on Rejection U.S. and EU assistance:

“Cuba will not accept humanitarian aid from the United States, which imposes a criminal blockade, or from any of the European governments which took aid away on the pretext of human rights violations.”  Granma, July 12

“We won’t accept aid from Europe or assistance from any government of the European Community, because in the end they withdrew the token support they call “aid” that they were giving Cuba.”  Castro speech, July 11.

“We would never accept.  If they offered $1 billion, we would say no… We do not want assistance from the Europeans or the United States.”  Castro speech, July 11.