9-02-05, 8:59 am
(Venezuelanalysis.com).- CITGO Petroleum Corporation has pledged a $1 million donation towards Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, the company’s President and CEO Félix Rodríguez announced yesterday through a press release.
Rodríguez said this donation had the full support of the company’s parent organization, the Venezuelan state oil company Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA), as well as Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez.
'Our hearts go out to the victims of this terrible tragedy and CITGO stands prepared to offer its assistance,' Rodríguez said.
According to the CEO, the funds will be directed to appropriate relief organizations in the affected areas. Sources at the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington DC, told Venezuelanalysis.com that apart from the million dollars in monetary assistance, Venezuela is offering two mobile hospital units, each capable of assisting 150 people, 120 specialists in rescue operations, 10 water purifying plants, 18 electricity generators of 850 KW each, 20 tons of bottled water, and 50 tons of canned food.
According to the Embassy, Venezuela's Consulate in New Orleans will remain closed until further notice.
More Venezuelan aid for victims
Yesterday, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing solidarity with the people and government of the United States. 'The Venezuelan government and nation express to the United States and its leaders their dismay regarding the magnitude and consequences of Hurricane Katrina,' read the statement.
'As a way of expressing its solidarity and sentiments of compassion towards the families of the victims that are facing the loss of their material goods, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela reiterates the offer made by President Hugo Chavez, of sending fuel and humanitarian aid to the United States...' the statement continued.
U.S. Says unsolicited offers can be 'counterproductive'
According to The Washington Times, a senior State Department official said he was not aware of the Venezuelan offer, but noted that unsolicited offers can be 'counterproductive.'
The U.S. State Department, however, welcomed the willingness of foreign nations to help.
Venezuela's offer comes amid renewed tensions between the United States and the left-wing government of President Hugo Chavez. Washington continuously accuses democratically-elected Chavez of being a threat to stability in Latin America, while Chavez accuses the Bush Administration of wanting to destabilize or overthrow his government.
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