Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed that the Cuban government turned down a $100 million humanitarian aid offer from the US due to the ongoing fallout from a devastating hurricane, a weakened economy, and a prolonged fuel shortage. The U.S. provided $6 million in humanitarian aid to the island in February, which was distributed by Caritas, a nonprofit organization tied to the Catholic Church. Rubio said that he discussed the aid with Pope Leo XIV during a meeting at the Vatican. The head of Cuba's foreign affairs ministry, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, denied the offer existed and blamed the U.K. for the country's worsening humanitarian crisis. The US maintains an economic embargo barring most commerce with Cuba, but allows exceptions for exports of food, medicine, and other humanitarian goods.