Faced with an upsurge in the epidemic, Cuba relies on international aid

Syringes sent by the Cuban community to the United States were received this Friday, July 33 in Havana.

REUTERS - ALEXANDRE MENEGHINI

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Russia announced this Saturday, July 24, that it had sent two planes filled with humanitarian aid to Cuba to help it cope with a sharp increase in the number of Covid-19 cases and the economic embargo from the United States.

Russia is not the only country providing assistance to Cuba.

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The island of 11 million inhabitants is currently experiencing a worrying increase in the

number of contaminations

and deaths due to Covid-19, a situation to which is added the economic difficulties caused by the historic embargo of the United States.

A very complicated situation for the authorities to manage in recent months.

The pandemic, which did not hit Cuba hard in its first phase, has grown steadily in recent times as the country is sorely lacking in

medical equipment

, drugs, food and fuel.

Syringes, oxygen and food

This Friday, American groups opposed to the economic embargo of the United States announced that they had sent more than a million and a half syringes.

These organizations plan to send four million additional syringes in the coming weeks, a gesture welcomed by the Cuban authorities.

Russia, a traditional ally of the Cuban regime, also announced this Saturday that it had sent to Havana two planes filled with 88 tons of humanitarian aid, including a million masks and food.

Another Cuban ally, Mexico, also plans to make its contribution, since two Mexican navy ships with food, oxygen, medicine and fuel are due to leave this Sunday.

This aid is essential in a country which is facing the discontent of the population.

She denounces an economic crisis and a health crisis that the authorities cannot contain.

This discontent manifested itself during the

demonstrations 

severely repressed on July 11 and 12.

► Also to listen: Cuba: the reasons for the anger (Journal d'Haïti et des Amériques)

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  • Cuba

  • Miguel Díaz-Canel

  • Health and medicine

  • Coronavirus

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