April 1 (Reuters) – The European Commission has released a further 2 million euros ($2.3 million) in aid for Cuba, it said on Wednesday, to tackle what it described as worsening humanitarian conditions in the country.
* The U.S. cut off Venezuelan oil exports to Cuba aftertoppling Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3. * This has resulted in an energy crisis in Cuba andblackouts across the country, whose population stands at 10million. Cuban health officials say the crisis has increased themortality risk for Cuban cancer patients, especially children. * “The EU stands with the people of Cuba in their hour ofneed. After Hurricane Melissa, we were there. And today, we arestepping up again with €2 million in humanitarian aid to helpdeliver food and safe drinking water to those who need it most.In a country facing an energy crisis and growing shortages, thissupport will help keep life-saving aid flowing to up to twomillion people in need,” said Hadja Lahbib, EU Commissioner forCrisis Management, in a statement. * On March 31, a Russian-flagged tanker carrying some700,000 barrels of crude docked in Cuba’s Matanzas oil terminal,shipping data showed, marking the first significant oil deliveryto the island since U.S. President Donald Trump’s administrationcut off its fuel supply.
($1 = 0.8624 euros)
(Reporting by Sudip Kar-GuptaEditing by Keith Weir)
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