Caracas, May 14: A Chinese cargo plane, carrying humanitarian aid for the economically-hit Venezuela, has arrived in the capital of Caracas, the nation’s Ministry of Communication told CNN.
The plane was carrying approximately 2 million units of medical equipment, including medical and surgical medical supplies. The supplies will be distributed by agencies designated by the government of embattled President Nicolas Maduro, the Ministry said on Monday.
In March, Chinese state TV channel CGTN reported that a plane loaded with 65 tonnes of medical supplies landed in Caracas, marking the first dispatch of relief supplies to Venezuela from China.
Maduro retains the backing of China, which has repeatedly opposed any action that causes tensions or unrest in Venezuela.
While Maduro has also permitted aid deliveries from NGOs such as the Red Cross, he has refused to open Venezuela’s borders to aid from a number of countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany and the United States, that recognizes opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s legitimate interim president.
Venezuela’s economic crisis has led to mass human suffering marked by shortages of food and medicine, as well as widespread power outages.
Last month, the United Nations said nearly 327,000 Venezuelan children are living as refugees and migrants in Colombia due to lack of education, healthcare, humanitarian facilities in economic-hit Venezuela.
In a report, the UN said the political and economic situation in Venezuela caused an estimated 3.7 citizens to flee the country and seek refuge in Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil and other nations in the area.