In brief
Turin's Deputy Mayor Michela Favaro and City Council President Maria Grazia Grippo met with Cuban Deputy Minister of Public Health Julio Guerra Izquierdo to reaffirm Italy’s support for Cuban healthcare amid the U.S. blockade. The meeting focused on a medicines‑collection project, the delivery of an emergency generator for a hospital in Santiago de Cuba, and a public forum titled “Healing Under Siege.” These efforts underscore the city’s role in international aid and the everyday impact of geopolitical tensions on frontline health services.
On 5 November 2026, the Musy Hall of Turin’s Civic Palace welcomed Cuban Deputy Minister of Public Health Julio Guerra Izquierdo to discuss the impact of the United States economic, commercial, and financial blockade on Cuba’s healthcare system and to reaffirm bilateral cooperation and solidarity.
The U.S. blockade, which Cuba still endures, has significantly hampered the supply of medicines and medical equipment, and has led to frequent power‑supply interruptions that threaten hospital operations across the island, the Cuban representative said during the meeting.
Deputy Mayor Michela Favaro and City Council President Maria Grazia Grippo recalled that last March the Turin City Council passed a resolution in support of the Cuban people to address the consequences of the blockade on oil supplies and the worsening energy crisis in the Caribbean nation.
Turin’s early support for Cuba began during the COVID‑19 emergency, when the Cuban “Henry Reeve” medical brigade, led by Guerra Izquierdo, provided services in the city. The brigade’s work was highlighted by the council’s publication CittAgora on its Facebook page, acknowledging the collaboration between the two cities.
A key element of the forum was a medicine‑collection project coordinated by the Agency for Cultural and Economic Exchange with Cuba (AICEC). The initiative involves Torino’s municipal pharmacies in gathering and shipping essential medicines to Cuban communities.
Another critical project discussed was the procurement of an emergency electric generator for a Cuban hospital in Contramaestre, located in the eastern Cuban province of Santiago de Cuba. The generator will help the hospital maintain operations during frequent blackouts caused by the blockade‑related energy shortages.
Shipper officials announced that the generator is scheduled to arrive in Cuba in the coming days, with logistical arrangements already underway to transport the equipment across international borders.
That same Wednesday, Turin hosted a public meeting titled “Healing Under Siege: The Blockade and the Cuban Healthcare System.” The event featured the Cuban Deputy Minister, neurosurgeon Peggys Cruz Pérez, AICEC representative Roberto Forte, and Giorgia Vernetti, a member of the “Let Cuba Breathe” initiative.
During the forum, participants examined how the blockade has stretched Cuba’s already thin resources and explored ways the Italian city can continue to support Cuban frontline workers, including through educational exchanges, equipment donations, and advocacy for lifting restrictive trade measures.
For the citizens of Turin, the meeting underscored a broader civic responsibility: that international agreements and economic sanctions can have immediate, human consequences, especially for health professionals and patients. The city’s proactive stance demonstrates how local governments can respond to global crises, reinforcing democratic values of solidarity and accountability.
