“Let Cuba Live”: First International Aid Boat Reaches Cuba

A small fishing boat carrying food, medicine, and solar panels docked in Havana today, becoming the first vessel from an international aid mission to reach Cuba as the island battles one of its worst energy crises.

The Maguro, a Mexican shrimp boat symbolically renamed “Granma 2.0” in tribute to the vessel that carried Fidel Castro’s fighters in 1956, arrived three days behind schedule after battling strong winds, rough currents, and a faulty battery on its journey from Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula.

As it approached Havana’s harbour, activists stood on the cabin roof holding a sign that read, “Let Cuba live”.

The boat carried 32 people, including activists from Australia, Brazil, Ecuador, Italy, Mexico, and the United States, as part of a broader mission called the Our America Convoy, which aims to deliver around 50 tonnes of aid to Cuba by air and sea. Earlier shipments had already arrived by plane from Europe, Latin America, and the United States.

Cuba has endured two nationwide blackouts in recent weeks, triggered by ageing power plants and severe fuel shortages. 

The crisis worsened after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a military operation in January to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, cutting off Cuba’s main oil supplier. Trump has since threatened tariffs on any country that ships oil to the island.

Meanwhile, regional governments are also stepping in to help. Caribbean leaders, through the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), have announced plans to send humanitarian aid to Cuba following a decision at their recent heads-of-government meeting. The effort, coordinated by the CARICOM Secretariat, will include essential items such as powdered milk, canned food, medical supplies, solar panels, and water tanks.

Mexico has also pledged support, offering to help source the suppliers and cover shipping costs to the island.