U.S. Offers Immediate Humanitarian Aid to Cuba Amid Hurricane Melissa, But Questions Remain

In the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa’s devastating passage through the Caribbean, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced an offer of immediate humanitarian assistance to the Cuban people affected by the storm. This declaration comes after earlier statements that excluded Cuba from American rescue efforts focused on Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the Bahamas.Rubio’s evolving messaging reveals a nuanced balance between humanitarian concern and political strategy. While the United States prepares aid for Cuba’s millions left without electricity, cut off from communication, and facing widespread destruction—including flooded municipalities, collapsed homes, and ruined crops—the method of delivering this aid remains...