Two Mexican Navy Ships Carrying Humanitarian Aid Dock in Havana Harbor

Two ships carrying humanitarian aid entered Havana Harbor early on Feb. 12 and docked in Havana Bay, one vessel passing beside the stone walls of El Morro while stacked white-wrapped pallets sat on deck. The Papaloapan was clearly visible as it eased into the bay; the second vessel arriving alongside was identified as Isla Holbox by onlookers and photo captions.

Mexico's government released a statement saying, "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." Officials on board and port handlers listed food and hygiene items among the cargo. An itemized tally filed in reporting showed one ship carrying some 536 tons of food - including liquid and powdered milk, rice, beans, sardines, canned tuna, meat products, cookies, vegetable oil and personal hygiene items - while the second ship carried just over 277 tons of powdered milk.

The shipments arrived against a backdrop of diplomatic tensions and domestic rationing. Cuban authorities have announced stricter energy rationing in recent days amid international moves to limit fuel flows to the island, and the deliveries followed public threats of tariffs on countries selling oil to Cuba. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said the shipments were humanitarian support and pledged more aid, telling reporters that "we will send more support of different kinds." Sheinbaum also said, "We have stated to both the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Mexico that Mexico is doing everything possible to foster a dialogue that, within the framework of Cuba’s sovereignty...creates the conditions for peaceful dialogue and ensures that Cuba, without any country imposing sanctions, can receive oil and its derivatives for its daily operations."

On the Malecon and along Havana Bay, residents watched the two vessels arrive. Ediberto Rodriguez, a 65-year-old Havana resident and state worker, watched the Papaloapan enter the harbor and described the delivery as an "unforgettable gesture," saying, "Mexico hasn’t abandoned us," and "Even with pressure from a global superpower (the United States), they weren’t afraid." A 34-year-old engineer, Yohandri Espinosa, came to the bay with his daughter and took pictures of the ships as they berthed.

Photos of the arrival show Papaloapan crested with rows of white-wrapped pallets on deck and the two vessels moored in the quiet waters of Havana Bay while people photographed the scene and a man walked his dog along the waterfront. Mexican authorities said a second shipment would follow "in the coming days" and that more consignments would be sent "as soon as the ships return, we will send more support of different kinds."

Descriptions of the vessels vary in official accounts; some statements describe them as Mexican-flagged ships while other descriptions identify them as Mexican Navy ships, and full manifests and registry confirmations have not been publicly released. Tonnage totals also differ by a small margin between the government aggregate of "more than 814 tons" and per-ship tallies that sum to just over 813 tons, figures that officials say reflect rounding differences as the island prepares for follow-up deliveries.