Mexican ships carrying humanitarian aid enter Havana Harbor

HAVANA: Two Mexican-flagged ships loaded with humanitarian aid entered Havana Harbor early on Thursday, a Reuters witness said, as Cuba’s long-time ally made good on a promise to assist after Washington threatened tariffs on countries that send oil to Cuba.

One of the ships, the ?Papaloapan, carried large ?quantities of white-wrapped pallets on its ?deck ?as ?it ?passed beside ?the El Morro castle before entering the quiet waters of the harbor.

The shipment from Mexico arrives just days after the island’s communist-run government announced increasingly strict rationing measures to confront US efforts to cut off Cuba’s fuel supply.

Washington in January threatened tariffs on countries that supply oil ?to the island, saying that Cuba poses ?an “extraordinary threat” to US national ?security — a claim Havana denies.

Mexico announced ?the aid delivery after ?halting shipments of crude and refined products to Cuba in ?mid-January under pressure from the Trump administration.

“These ships set sail from the port of Veracruz with a cargo of more than 814 tons of supplies destined for the civilian population of ?the island of Cuba,” Mexico’s government said in a statement later in the day.

The cargo ?included liquid ?and powdered milk, meat products, cookies, beans, rice, tuna in water, sardines and vegetable oil, as well as personal hygiene items, the statement said. Ediberto Rodriguez, a 65-year-old Havana resident and state worker, watched the ships enter the harbor and praised Mexico for what he called an “unforgettable gesture.”