The U.S. Agency for International Development, the government branch that mobilizes humanitarian aid around the world but which Cuban authorities have accused of being a surrogate for the CIA, is taking the unprecedented step of providing $2 million to help the victims of hurricane Ian in Cuba, which damaged more than 100,000 homes on the island’s western side.
In a statement Tuesday, Ned Price, a spokesperson for the State Department, USAID’s parent agency, said the emergency relief funds will be channeled through international organizations working inside the country.
“The United States will work with trusted, independent organizations operating in the country who have a long presence in hurricane-affected communities,” Price said. “We are currently reviewing applications from organizations such as the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to provide this assistance.”
