The solidarity shipment was departed from the port of La Guaira, in the state of the same name (north), in the presence of Bolivarian Foreign Minister Yván Gil and Cuban Ambassador Dagoberto Rodríguez, among other officials.
The head of Venezuelan diplomacy explained to reporters that the shipment left for the port of Santiago de Cuba (east) and is made up of more than 200 tons of aid, including construction materials and support for communities.
“We are talking about more than 54,000 items that are inside these more than 20 containers,” he said.
Gil pointed out that this aid from Venezuela is to address an emergency caused by climate change that has impacted the Cuban nation, which was affected by hurricanes Oscar, which first hit the far east of the country, and in early November by Rafael, which hit the west.
Cuba was also affected by two earthquakes, the largest of which measured 6.7 on the Richter scale and caused material damage to homes and infrastructure.
The Venezuelan foreign minister stressed, “We have received Cuban solidarity at all times, the Cuban people and their Government have always been there to support us in literacy, in medical and technical missions, in agriculture and food.”
He reaffirmed that the Venezuelan Government will always be responding with “a lot of solidarity and strength to support sister Cuba in the context of the strategic bilateral alliance that we have and the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America-People’s Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP).
On November 6, the Bolivarian Republic sent the first shipment of humanitarian aid containing construction materials, primary care and other items.
In his program Maduro Live de Repente, broadcast on social networks, radio and Venezolana de Televisión, President Nicolás Maduro informed that mattresses, roofs, cleaning materials, parts, food, and stoves, among others, were sent.
He added that they have been waiting for the activation of the joint support of Nicaragua, Bolivia, Venezuela, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, and the entire Caribbean.
The Alliance is the expression of unity and love, Maduro said, and assured that “Cuba has brothers who love and support it and we are going together, ALBA-TCP and Venezuela.”
jg/lam/jcd