Raúl Castro welcomes Venezuelan delegation after Sandy

Venezuela is among the first countries that have provided humanitarian aid to Cuba and Haiti, the most lambasted countries in the Caribbean

Raúl Castro monitored the most stricken area (Photo: Efe)

EL UNIVERSAL

Friday November 02, 2012 12:00 PM

Cuban President Raúl Castro welcomed a Venezuelan delegation of humanitarian aid led by Vice-President Rafael Ramírez in Santiago de Cuba, one of the most stricken cities in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, reported local media on Friday.

The delegation commissioned by Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez has been assigned the mission of "assessing, along with Cuban authorities, on site," the damages caused by Sandy last Thursday, Cuban state-run newspaper Granma reported, DPA cited.

The hurricane of 80 mph winds swept the eastern part of the island and wrecked havoc across Santiago de Cuba and Holguín. Based on preliminary estimates, the hurricane caused havoc in more than 180,000 dwellings in both provinces.

Castro welcomed Ramírez and the members of the Venezuelan delegation on Thursday afternoon at the Santiago de Cuba airport, Granma added. The delegation included, among others, the director of Venezuelan Civil Protection agency, General Luis Díaz Curbelo, and Vice-Minister for Housing, Nelson Rodríguez González.

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