Celso Amorim — President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's top foreign policy adviser — on Monday met with Victor Cairo, Cuba's newly appointed ambassador to Brazil, at the presidential palace in Brasília. The meeting was brief and uneventful by diplomatic standards, but its mere existence was a statement in the current context.
The pair discussed Cuba's worsening economic and energy crisis, specifically the toll being taken by US restrictions on the island's energy sector. Amorim reaffirmed that Brazil is watching the situation closely and will continue to provide humanitarian support. No details on the scope of future aid were made public.
The meeting follows a significant humanitarian operation that took place in March, when Brazil shipped roughly 21,000 tonnes of aid to Cuba, including:
20,000 tonnes of rice;
150 tonnes of beans;
500 tonnes of powdered milk and
80 tonnes of medicines to treat tuberculosis, Chagas disease and arboviruses.
You’re missing out on the full story
Get smarter on Brazil and Latin America
Enjoy 7-day free trial now!The full picture. The sharpest takes. All in your inbox, every day:
- 🏆 Award-winning journalism, trusted worldwide
- 📊 Exclusive charts and analyses
- 🗃️ Archive access
- 💬 Commenting
