Approximately 650 delegates from 33 countries and more than 100 organizations arrived in Havana this weekend as part of the "Nuestra América Convoy," or Our America Convoy to Cuba, bringing roughly 20 tons of humanitarian aid including solar panels, food, and medical supplies such as cancer treatments.
The activists, traveling by air from Italy, France, Spain, and the United States with additional participants arriving by sea in a flotilla from Mexico, met with Cuban government officials including President Miguel Díaz-Canel at official government facilities. Some delegates were housed in five-star hotels and traveled in air-conditioned buses.
The visit coincides with a severe crisis in Cuba, where large portions of the island have experienced prolonged blackouts exceeding 20 hours per day in some areas. Millions of Cubans are struggling to access food, water, and medical care as the country's infrastructure has been pushed to the brink.
What the Right Is Saying
Critics have sharply condemned the optics of foreign activists enjoying stable electricity and modern amenities while ordinary Cubans endure daily deprivation. "This is a gigantic mockery of the entire Cuban people," said Mayra Dominguez, a Cuban living in exile in the United States, in comments to the New York Post. "The left visits Cuba as if it were a party at a zoo and they go to admire the misery from a luxury hotel."
Cuban artist Salomé García Bacallao, now based in Miami, similarly criticized the Cuban government for welcoming foreign delegations while many Cubans remain barred from returning home. The contrast between the activists' comfortable accommodations and the lived experience of average Cubans has fueled anger among the exile community.
Some observers have also raised questions about how the convoy's aid will be distributed, noting that past efforts to deliver assistance to Cuba have often been funneled through government-controlled channels. Critics argue such delegations often serve as political theater that bolsters the regime's narrative while doing little to address systemic issues affecting ordinary citizens.
Some of the groups involved, including The People's Forum and Code Pink, have previously drawn scrutiny from U.S. officials over alleged ties to foreign influence networks. The participation of figures linked to the Cuban government, including Mariela Castro, daughter of former leader Raúl Castro, has further fueled concerns about the nature of the delegation's coordination with Cuban authorities.
What the Left Is Saying
Organizers of the convoy framed the trip as a direct challenge to U.S. energy restrictions that they say are harming ordinary Cubans. "We cannot allow this," said David Adler, a representative of Progressive International, one of the groups behind the effort. "We cannot normalize it."
The convoy included a mix of activists, political figures, and organizations from across the global left. Among the participants was leftist streamer Hasan Piker, who broadcast from Havana to his large social media following and said he would produce additional content from the trip. International political figures including Jeremy Corbyn and representatives from leftist parties across Latin America and Europe also participated.
Cuban officials have blamed U.S. energy restrictions, particularly actions by the Trump administration targeting oil shipments, for exacerbating the island's economic collapse. Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío insisted that the country's political system is "not up for negotiation" in any talks with Washington. The convoy was organized in part to deliver aid and demonstrate solidarity with what organizers described as victims of "collective punishment."
The groups involved, including The People's Forum and Code Pink, have argued that their efforts provide essential humanitarian assistance to a population in need. They note that Cuba has also received aid shipments from countries including Mexico, Brazil, and China in recent weeks as concerns grow over a potential humanitarian emergency.
What the Numbers Show
The Nuestra América Convoy brought approximately 650 delegates representing more than 100 organizations from 33 countries. The delegation transported roughly 20 tons of humanitarian aid, including solar panels, food, medical supplies, and cancer treatments.
Cuba has experienced blackouts exceeding 20 hours per day in some areas, leaving millions without reliable access to electricity, food, water, and medical care. The humanitarian crisis has drawn attention from the international community, with aid shipments arriving not only through activist convoys but also from Mexico, Brazil, and China.
The convoy included participants traveling by air from Italy, France, Spain, and the United States, with additional delegates arriving via a sea flotilla from Mexico. Delegates were housed in high-end accommodations including five-star hotels, while traveling in air-conditioned buses — amenities that remain unavailable to much of the local population.
The Bottom Line
The visit by hundreds of left-wing activists to Cuba highlights the deepening humanitarian crisis on the island while sparking controversy over the optics of foreigners receiving preferential treatment. Organizers maintain their mission is one of solidarity and resistance to U.S. sanctions, while critics — particularly Cuban exiles — argue the delegation's luxury accommodations undermine any claim of solidarity with ordinary citizens.
Questions remain about how the delivered aid will be distributed and whether it will reach those in need or be controlled by government channels. The incident underscores the broader debate over U.S. Cuba policy, with each side attributing the crisis to different causes: sanctions and energy restrictions versus decades of centralized economic management.
The divide between the activists' experience in Havana and the daily reality for average Cubans continues to draw criticism from exile communities and those questioning the effectiveness of international solidarity missions as a response to the island's economic collapse.