A port worker moors the Asian Katra cargo ship after it arrives in Havana Bay, Cuba, on Monday. The merchant vessel docked carrying humanitarian aid from Mexico and Uruguay for Cubans facing power outages and a severe economic crisis worsened by US restrictions on fuel supplies. Photo by Ernesto Mastrascusa/EPA
May 18 (UPI) -- A shipment of humanitarian aid sent by Mexico and Uruguay arrived in Cuba on Monday as the island faces a severe energy and economic crisis amid the tightening of the U.S. economic, trade and financial embargo.
The merchant vessel Asian Katra docked at the Port of Havana carrying powdered milk, rice, beans and other basic necessities.
The Panama-flagged ship delivered more than 1,600 tons of humanitarian assistance. Mexico's contribution included food and hygiene products, while Uruguay's shipment consisted exclusively of staple food items, according to Uruguayan digital outlet La Prensa.
Speaking to reporters, Cuban Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Trade Minister Óscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga said the aid would be distributed directly to those most in need, particularly children, older adults and vulnerable populations, according to Cuba's state-run newspaper Granma.
