A cargo ship carrying humanitarian aid from Mexico and Uruguay docked in Havana on Monday, May 18th. The ship brought 1,700 tons of food, powdered milk, and personal hygiene supplies to Cuba, which is dealing with serious shortages and near-daily blackouts, according to the Associated Press.

Cuba’s Minister of Food Industry Alberto López Díaz stated that the aid would go to children, the elderly, and vulnerable families first. What was notable, however, was how quiet Mexico was about the development. As noted by the Los Angeles Times, past shipments were announced publicly as shows of solidarity. However, Mexican authorities have said very little about this particular shipment, likely indicating how much pressure Mexico is currently experiencing from Washington.

The shipment is crucial to the people receiving it, but does not change the bigger picture of what this development means for Cuba. Cuba’s problems are not going to be solved by periodic cargo ships such as this one. The embargo has been tightening more and more, oil supplies have been cut off, and the nation’s economic situation keeps worsening. What is more impactful for Cubans is a serious diplomatic effort, not a continuous pattern of escalating pressure with occasional aid drops throughout the cycle.

The situation has gotten significantly worse this year in particular. According to the Associated Press, things took a sharp turn when the U.S. invaded Venezuela in January, cutting off oil shipments that Cuba depended on. Shortly after, as reported by the AP, President Donald Trump threatened tariffs on any country still selling oil to the country. The Los Angeles Times also reports that the U.S. is pursuing an indictment of former Cuban President Raúl Castro over the 1996 downing of planes belonging to the Miami-based exile group Brothers to the Rescue. This adds another layer of tension and complexity to an already strained relationship between the nations. 

One Havana resident, 52-year-old Reiniel Morales, told the AP he still hasn’t received any of the aid Mexico sent earlier this year. He has two elderly parents at home and is hoping his turn comes eventually with the aid that was claimed to be for vulnerable Cuban residents, showcasing a glimpse of what life currently looks like in Cuba, despite signs of aid ships being sent into the country. Until there is real political will to change rising problems in the country, these developments are unlikely to have real impacts on the citizens that desperately need it.