Venezuela Sends Multidisciplinary Team to Cuba to Aid in Reconstruction After Hurricane Melissa

As part of its solidarity actions with Cuba following Hurricane Melissa, Venezuela announced the deployment of a multidisciplinary team of 22 technicians to reinforce recovery efforts in areas affected by the meteorological event.

Venezuela's Vice Minister for Latin America, Rander Peña, stated that the team members sent to the Caribbean island are professionals in the areas of electrical energy, transport, and public works. Alongside the Cuban Ambassador to Venezuela, and also serving as the Executive Secretary of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA-TCP), he indicated that the 22 professionals aim to restore downed power lines and conduct diagnostics to guide further aid to Cuba.

According to the Venezuelan official, the deployment of the multidisciplinary team is a demonstration of his government's love and support for Havana. “It must be very clear what the motto is: when Venezuela needs it, Cuba is there; when Cuba needs it, Venezuela will be there,” added Vice Minister Rander Peña.

Peña acknowledged the rapid action of the Cuban government and people to prevent the loss of human life from Melissa. “Thanks to the rapid action of the Cuban people and government, we can say there was no loss of human life. Unfortunately, Melissa caused significant damage; we are talking about 70 thousand affected homes,” Peña commented. He further affirmed that Venezuelan aid will continue to arrive in Cuba, stating, “The Cuban people must know that they will always have a sisterly hand in the Venezuelan people and government.”

Condemns U.S. Military Deployment in the Caribbean

When asked about the U.S. military deployment in the Caribbean Sea, a clear threat to Venezuela, Rander Peña reiterated his government's condemnation of U.S. actions in the Caribbean region. “We condemn—not only Venezuela, not only Cuba, but all Latin Americans—we condemn the vulgar U.S. military deployment in the Caribbean, because it affects the peace that we Latin Americans declared in Havana in 2014.”

Peña referenced a recent public letter from President Nicolás Maduro, who spoke about the zone of peace that Latin American countries should protect to prevent any intention of military threat against Latin America from prospering. “We will not allow it,” he stated.

According to the Vice Minister, the way to prevent it is through actions that contradict everything the U.S. is trying to inoculate in the world's mind. “We, on the contrary, will continue to do what we know how to do, which is to extend a friendly hand, send active and timely solidarity, and give what we have. Everything we can possibly have to help the people of Cuba, we will do,” said Peña.

In this regard, the ALBA executive secretary referenced the departure of a ship to Cuba carrying 5,000 tons of food, medicine, and all types of supplies following Hurricane Melissa. “If Venezuela has demonstrated anything, it is that the only ships that leave here are ships full of solutions, hope, and infinite love for other peoples, and that is how it will continue to be.”

Regarding the latest aid shipment to Cuba, Cuban Ambassador Jorge Mayo added that this would be the third reinforcement of solidarity received from the Venezuelan people. The Cuban diplomat highlighted that from the first moment, the Venezuelan government has been present to understand the needs and cooperate in the recovery of the areas affected by Melissa.

Mayo stated that Hurricane Melissa had a devastating effect on the island, leaving more than 72,000 homes affected, four thousand destroyed, over 108 kilometers of roads damaged, and causing floods and the destruction of bridges and roads that left several communities isolated. Regarding the aid sent by Venezuela, Cuba's representative in Caracas mentioned that beyond food and medicine, they have received materials such as electrical poles to assist in the recovery of the power grid in the affected zone.