Humanitarian Aid - Miami to Cuba

Martha Bueno is no stranger to the plight of the Cuban people.

When her father was 21 he was sentenced to prison for the crime of attempting to leave his country. Her mother was the one who broke him out of jail and helped him escape. 

Due to her parents’ experiences, as well as her family still living in Cuba, Bueno has a deeper understanding than most of how much ordinary people can be harmed by oppressive government regimes.

Bueno has taken full advantage of the freedoms afforded to her in the United States. She is an entrepreneur, hemp farmer, mother, and political activist. 

Although her endeavors in the U.S. keep her busy, she still has family members living in Cuba and has never forgotten their needs.

The people of Cuba cannot purchase basic supplies such as medicine unless it is offered by the government. Even when it is available, it is often too expensive for the average Cuban who makes $40 a month. 

Things only got worse during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

COVID-19 Lockdowns in Cuba

Like many countries, Cuba instituted lockdown measures that closed businesses and forced many to stay home.

Unlike wealthier countries, few Cubans had the resources to survive for weeks or even months without work. Inflation grew, and food and medical shortages worsened.

All of this reached a boiling point for the people in Cuba on July 11th, 2021 when protests erupted around the country. 

Bueno witnessed these events take place, and decided she must take action to help. 

After the protests, the Cuban government announced it would allow donations of food, medicine, and hygiene items directly to individuals. This opened a window to get much-needed supplies directly into the hands of those who needed them. 

Bueno jumped on the opportunity, co-founding the charity, People for Cuba. 

People for Cuba

People for Cuba accepts donations to purchase supplies for those in need in the country. Through the charity’s network, they provide care packages that include basic medical supplies such as pain relievers, antibiotics, and first aid products. 

The care packages are placed directly into the hands of the individuals who need them, bypassing the Cuban government representatives that would otherwise seize products for their use or to sell at an unaffordable price. 

In addition to being active in her charity, Bueno is a Candidate for Commissioner Miami-Dade District 10, and Chair of Community Council Area 11.

She is especially passionate about giving Latin Americans a voice in government, especially those who immigrated from oppressive communist regimes in Cuba and Venezuela. 

Bueno believes in taking action to help the people of Cuba but is wary of military involvement. When asked how involved the U.S. should get in Cuban affairs she responded this way: 

“The United States should pressure the UN to offer peacekeeping troops, medical assistance, and such, but I do not believe it is the role of the United States to invade other countries and decide what their democracy should look like. That’s a huge mistake the United States keeps making.

“I’m all about Cuba, and I’m Cuban. My family still lives there. I have a lot of family still living there. But I believe Cuba needs to figure it out. They need to work on it. The international community can help. The United States can help. But it’s not upon the United States to solve Cuba’s problems, Venezuela’s problems, or any other country’s problems. The way we’ve been handling it has been a mistake.”

Anyone interested in Bueno’s charity can go to the People for Cuba website to learn more.