Staff of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Mission in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Keisal Peters, bade farewell to the Commander, crew, and the members of the Simón Bolivar International Task Force, at a ceremony at the Grenadines wharf on Wednesday May 5. They were providing humanitarian assistance in the wake of the explosive eruption of the soufriere volcano.

The Vice Minister to the Caribbean of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the General Secretary of ALBA-TCP Raul Li Causi; the Executive Secretary of the ALBA-TCP Sacha Llorentti; and the Cuban Ambassador to St. Vincent and the Grenadines José Manuel Ventura were also present for the send-off.  

In her remarks, Senator Peters said Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, immediately reached out to Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves to ask how Venezuela can assist the Government and people here as early as last year, following the effusive eruptions of La Soufriere Volcano.  

She said Maduro did so again after the explosive eruptions on April 9 and “within three days, the vessel Goajira came to St. Vincent with humanitarian supplies, with personnel to assist us…”

While stationed here, the vessel has travelled to St. Lucia, from Cuba and “we are eternally grateful” to the Government and People of Venezuela added the Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as she reiterated her gratitude “for this alliance with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the solidarity, the friendship, the brotherhood that we have experienced first-hand, and not only, in this instance, but in many instances before where Venezuela has stood in solidarity with the Government and People of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.” 

Peters expressed appreciation for the work done by the Venezuelan team over the last weeks: “all of you – the task force, the Navy, in travelling to and fro, the persons on the ground… we are grateful and we thank you.  We wish you safe travel back to Venezuela”.  

Vice Minister to the Caribbean for the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the General Secretary of ALBA-TCP Raul Li Causi delivered the feature address at the event.  Cuba’s Ambassador to St. Vincent and the Grenadines José Manuel Ventura also made remarks at the ceremony.  Head of the Venezuela Mission in St. Vincent and the Grenadine