Spain announced on Monday that it will provide humanitarian aid to Cuba through United Nations channels. This aid will include food and essential health products as Cuba suffers an acute economic crisis, worsened by a US-de facto fuel blockade. The US military operation in Venezuela last month led to US President Trump vowing to cut off oil supplies to Cuba, which relies heavily on Venezuelan oil. The announcement came after a meeting in Madrid between Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares and Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez. The two discussed "the current situation in Cuba," focusing on boosting political, economic, and trade cooperation. Rodriguez criticized "the violations of peace, security and international law and the increasing hostility of the United States against Cuba." Cuba is currently enforcing emergency measures such as restricting fuel sales and reducing public transport due to petrol shortages. The situation has also caused rubbish to pile up in Havana, with only 44 of 106 garbage trucks operational, leading to health risks from piled-up trash attracting flies and foul smells. Local resident Jose Ramon Cruz said, "It's all over the city. It's been more than 10 days since a garbage truck came." Residents across the island, with around 11 million people, have warned via social media about public health dangers due to these conditions. Cuban Foreign Minister Rodriguez’s visit to Madrid was part of a trip including China and Vietnam. Spain’s aid aims to help Cuba weather the worsening crisis linked to the US fuel blockade.