Ana María Villagra, spokeswoman for the group, explained to Prensa Latina news agency that since the Covid-19 pandemic they have analyzed with friends and neighbors the possibility of helping and for this they have organized activities on several occasions to obtain resources. “People reacted and we had a good response. One becomes a kind of activist,” she said, and specified that on this occasion they sent devices for taking blood pressure, urinary catheters, thermometers, syringes, hospital bedpans and other supplies, as well as painkillers, anti/inflammatory and contraceptives.

Other groups joined the initiative, such as the internationalists and members of the Communist Party of Chile (PCCh) who participate in the campaign “A grain of love for Cuba.”

“Cuba has been the victim of a criminal blockade for more than 60 years,” denounced Elizabeth Jiménez, councilwoman of the Villa Sur commune, in the southern sector of the city of Santiago, and candidate for reelection for her third term.

Jiménez recalled that Cuba demonstrated its solidarity with Chile on several occasions, such as after the earthquake in 2010, and trained thousands of doctors from countries around the world, including hundreds of Chileans.

Juan Carlos Calderón, a member of PCCh, referred to the help provided by Cuba to other countries in cases of catastrophes and epidemics.

Julio Espinoza, political secretary of the PCCh in the commune of Pedro Aguirre Cerda, thanked the Villa Sur community and all those who have worked to collect the medicines and supplies destined for the Guanabacoa Gynecological and Obstetric Hospital. “We know the difficulties they are going through. We have listened to the Cuban foreign minister assessing the costs of the blockade,” he said, and called for continued work to help Cuba.

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