The US government on Thursday pledged an additional $6 million in food aid to Cuba. This aid targets people in eastern Cuba, hit hard by Hurricane Melissa last year. It includes rice, beans, pasta, canned tuna, and solar lamps. The supplies will be delivered through the Catholic Church and Caritas, said Jeremy Lewin, a senior US State Department official. Lewin added that US embassy staff in Cuba will monitor the aid closely to prevent the Cuban government from seizing or politicizing it. Tensions between the two countries remain high, with Cuba's deputy foreign minister, Carlos Fernandez de Cossio, calling the US move "quite hypocritical." De Cossio criticized the US for imposing harsh economic restrictions on millions of Cubans while sending limited aid, saying it was "two-faced". Cuba's president also accused the US of imposing an "energy blockade" that restricts fuel supplies. Earlier, the US sent $3 million in disaster relief following Hurricane Melissa. Now, the new $6 million aid aims to help those still suffering in eastern Cuba. Despite this, Havana shows only cautious openness to dialogue amid the growing crisis and pressures.