State Department official says the aid, if accepted, would be distributed through Catholic Relief Services and Samaritan's Purse, not given directly to the Cuban government.
State Department official says the aid, if accepted, would be distributed through Catholic Relief Services and Samaritan's Purse, not given directly to the Cuban government.
Cuba last week took the extraordinary step of welcoming CIA Director John Ratcliffe for talks. / AP The United States and Cuba held talks this week on a US offer of $100 million in assistance, which Washington has dangled as an incentive for reforms, a US official said. Mike Hammer, the acting US ambassador to Havana, met on Monday with Foreign Ministry officials, the State Department official said on Tuesday on condition of anonymity.
"We have been in close coordination with the Cubans. We had a meeting yesterday and continue to pursue that proposal aggressively, contrary to some of the lies of the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs," the official said.
"We continue to urge the regime to accept the proposal and try to prevent interference with the delivery of assistance," he said. The aid would be distributed through Catholic Relief Services and Samaritan's Purse, an evangelical Protestant charity, and not handed over directly to the Cuban government, he said.
"The Cuban regime is sitting on several billions of dollars," he said. "We would urge them to use that money to actually help the Cuban people invest in their infrastructure instead of hoarding it. "Vance condemns San Diego mosque attack as 'reprehensible' and fundamentally opposed to ChristianityVance condemns San Diego mosque attack as 'reprehensible' and fundamentally opposed to ChristianitySecretary of State Marco Rubio has publicly offered the $100 million but has demanded that Cuba take steps to open up.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez last week said that Havana was open to reviewing the aid proposal, after earlier saying Rubio was lying about the offer. Cuba has been in the throes of a major economic crisis with persistent energy blackouts after the United States captured Venezuela's President, Nicolas Maduro, and ended the flow of free oil from Caracas in exchange for Cuban medical expertise and other services.
With the situation increasingly dire, Cuba last week took the extraordinary step of welcoming CIA Director John Ratcliffe for talks. Vance condemns San Diego mosque attack as 'reprehensible' and fundamentally opposed to ChristianityVance condemns San Diego mosque attack as 'reprehensible' and fundamentally opposed to ChristianityUS bolsters precautions to prevent spread of Ebola, confirms one case5 people, including 2 suspected shooters, killed at San Diego Islamic CentreElon Musk loses blockbuster lawsuit against OpenAI as jury says case filed too late
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