This Tuesday morning, the ALBA ship “Manuel Gual” arrived at the “Guillermón Moncada” port in Santiago de Cuba (eastern Cuba), coming from La Guaira, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, with a cargo of 5,000 tons of humanitarian aid destined for the areas most affected by Hurricane Melissa, a gesture that deepens the solidarity and cooperation between the two sister nations.
The docking maneuver took place at 6:45 a.m. local time at the container terminal in the harbor, as part of coordinated actions between the two governments to strengthen solidarity and cooperation in the face of natural emergencies.
The ship transported 102 containers with essential supplies, including 74 containers of food and 28 with medicine, drinking water, basic household items such as sheets, mattresses, and bags, clothing, toys, water storage tanks, and electrical equipment intended for repairs and maintenance of the power system in the eastern region.
The flags of Cuba and Venezuela flew together on the ship’s deck, a symbol of the brotherhood and historical cooperation between the two nations.
In an exclusive interview with teleSUR, the governor of Santiago de Cuba, Beatriz Johnson, president of the Provincial Defense Council, highlighted that this is the second shipment of aid received from Venezuela since the passage of the storm.
“We, the people of Santiago de Cuba and all of Cuba, are deeply grateful for this aid, which arrives at such an important and strategic moment for the country,” the official stated.
Present at the event were Jorge Luis Broche Lorenzo, head of the Department of Attention to the Social Sector of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC), as well as the Venezuelan ambassador to Cuba, Orlando Maneiro Gaspar, and the Venezuelan Vice Minister of Public Works, Domiciano Graterol, along with representatives of the PCC and local authorities.
Graterol reported that, in addition to the humanitarian aid, a Venezuelan brigade of 22 specialists in electricity, roads, and transportation arrived and is already working on the repair of critical infrastructure.
According to the official, an aerial assessment identified 17 destroyed bridges, over 100 kilometers of damaged roads, and 14,000 affected homes, 5,000 of which were completely destroyed.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been monitoring the support and assessment operations in real time, requesting updated reports on the damage and the progress of the joint efforts.
Meanwhile, President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez toured the eastern regions just 24 hours after Hurricane Melissa (which struck Cuba as a Category 3 storm) hit, accompanied by rescue teams, electrical brigades, and medical personnel. The Cuban head of state publicly thanked the Venezuelan people for their solidarity during what he described as a crucial time for national recovery.
Ambassador Maneiro Gaspar emphasized that the shipment represents “the highest expression of humanity and brotherhood that has always characterized our peoples” and recalled that Venezuela has been present in other times of emergency on the island.
Hurricane Melisa has been described by Civil Defense authorities as one of the most intense and devastating weather events to have impacted the Caribbean in recent decades.
In a matter of hours, the rains and winds caused severe flooding, destruction of homes and numerous critical infrastructure projects, and disruption of communication routes in the eastern provinces of Cuba.
Emergency operations allowed for the evacuation of nearly one million people with the support of helicopters, trains, buses, trucks, and boats. This preserved lives and resulted in no reported deaths despite the devastation caused by the hurricane.
IMAGE CREDIT: President Nicolás Maduro has been following the support and assessment operations in real time. Photo: @JLBrocheLorenzo
[ SOURCE: teleSUR ]
