A third action of solidarity with Cuba was materialised today by the Government of Venezuela with the sending of 22 specialists to contribute to repairing the damages caused by Hurricane Melissa in the east of the island.

The professionals from the electrical, transport and public works branches were seen off at the Simón Bolívar international airport in Maiquetía, La Guaira state, by the Venezuelan vice-minister for Latin America, Rander Peña, and the ambassador of Havana in Caracas, Jorge Luis Mayo, among other authorities.

The meteorological phenomenon penetrated with category three on the Saffir-Simpson scale at the end of October through Cuban territory and hit the provinces of Santiago de Cuba, Las Tunas, Holguín, Granma and Guantánamo, where it provoked considerable material damages to the electrical, housing and agricultural infrastructure.

At the send-off Peña explained that the best specialists were chosen in each of the branches and carry the mission of reinforcing the work teams of the largest of the Antilles for the recovery of the electrical grid through diagnostics and «to continue sending aid in the coming hours».

He recalled the air shipment days before, first, of 26 tonnes of food, construction materials and household goods just hours after the hurricane’s passage, and afterwards more than five thousand tonnes via sea on the ALBA ship «Manuel Gual».

The executive secretary of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America – Peoples’ Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP) signified that these shipments are «the expression of love from one people to another people».

This was what Commander Hugo Chávez, President Nicolás Maduro, Commander Fidel Castro, Army General Raúl Castro, and the leader Miguel Díaz-Canel taught us, and «we do what corresponds to us by historical mandate,» he affirmed.

Peña referred that the slogan must be very clear that when «Venezuela needs, Cuba is there and when Cuba needs, Venezuela will be there».

The head of ALBA-TCP highlighted that thanks to the rapid action of the Cuban people and Government «there were no losses of human lives,» but the hurricane did cause damages to more than 70 thousand homes.

Regarding the immediate response of the Bolivarian Executive, the diplomat indicated that «they are actions and immediate demonstrations of love,» that have always been between Cuba and Venezuela through Fidel and Chávez, and «as a good son, President Maduro follows and will continue to do so».

He announced that the aid will continue arriving to the Cuban people from the Bolivarian Republic, which will always have in us «a friendly and sister hand because its destiny is linked to yours and this is a mutual protection».

The island’s ambassador highlighted that this is the third action of reinforcement to the «solidarity that we have permanently received from the Venezuelan people in an integral form» with the sending of electrical posts, mattresses, roof tiles for housing, among others.

Mayo expressed his gratitude, on behalf of the Cuban people and Government, for the aid which he qualified as «permanent reinforcement» and which has been materialising since the very beginning of the Bolivarian Revolution.