Russia sends 88 tons of aid to Cuba

Russia has sent two military cargo planes with 88 tons of humanitarian aid to Cuba, the Defense Ministry said in a statement Saturday.

The two An-124 planes took off from the Chkalovsky airfield outside Moscow carrying food products, as well as medical masks and other protective medical equipment, the statement said.

The announcement follows aid sent by the Mexican government to Cuba on Thursday.

Mexico sent aid after the U.S. government tightened sanctions on some Cuban officials after they violently put down rare street protests earlier this month.

Thousands of Cubans took to the streets of Havana and other cities across the island earlier this month to protest food shortages and high prices during the coronavirus crisis.

The new U.S. sanctions target a Cuban official and a government special brigade the United States says was involved in human rights abuses during the government crackdown.

In Cuba, the delta variant has also caused the collapse of Matanza province’s health care system.

A medical team sent to aid Venezuela was recalled to cope with a crush of patients.