U.S. warns Cuban government not to interfere with U.S aid headed to island nation
Planes and ships of United States aid are headed to Cuba to help with the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa and the poverty on the island in general.
It's a plan much easier said than done.
The United States does not want this aid to end up in the hands of the Cuban regime, and officials said there will be consequences if it does interfere.
So, the U.S. found another way - the church and 1,000 pastors across the island.
"There's nothing political about cans of tuna and rice and beans and pasta," Under Secretary of State for Foreign Assistance, Humanitarian Affairs and Religious Freedom Jeremy Lewin said. "That is humanitarian aid at its core."
Lewin said they did not ask the Cuban regime if they wanted the aid.
"It's not their aid," he said. "They're in no position to take care of their people. They're in no position to make decisions about this."
While the church is communicating with the Cuban government to make sure they can get the aid into the country and to the right communities, the U.S is warning the regime not to interfere and steal the aid.
"We will be watching," he said. "If they do that, then they'll be accountable to their own people who are suffering, and they'll be accountable to us. As (Secretary of State Marco Rubio) said after the tremendously successful operation to capture the narco terrorist (Nicolas) Maduro and his wife, 'don't play games with this president'."
Hurricane Melissa hit the island back in October as a Category 5 hurricane. The U.S. sent aid right away to Haiti, Jamaica, and other Caribbean islands.
"The situation in Cuba is obviously more complicated politically," Lewin said. "The church is the one who's taking the lead in this."
If this runs smoothly, Lewin said he would love the U.S to send over "a lot more."