Cuba requests US aid after Hurricane Ian knocks out power, says report

People protest asking for the restoration of the electrical service that collapsed last Tuesday due to the devastation of Hurricane Ian in Bacuranao, Cuba, Friday, Sept. 30, 2022. (AP)

Washington has assessed that Cuban authorities would place priorities on hospitals, water pumping facilities, sanitation and other critical infrastructure if the Biden administration were to provide aid, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a review of email communications.
The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report, nor did Cuba’s embassy in Washington.

Biden has promised to re-engage with Cuba after years of tensions between Havana and Washington. But Cuba’s crackdown following widespread protests on the island last July led instead to sanctions on Cuban officials.

The Cuban government blamed the protests on meddling by the United States.