The Government of Antigua and Barbuda has pledged US$150,000 in humanitarian assistance to Venezuela following a series of deadly earthquakes that have claimed hundreds of lives and caused widespread destruction across the country.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne announced the contribution on Saturday, offering his condolences to those affected by the disaster.
"On behalf of the Government and people of Antigua and Barbuda, and on my own behalf, I extend our deepest condolences to the families who have lost loved ones and express our heartfelt sympathy to Interim President Delcy Rodríguez, the Government of Venezuela, and the entire Venezuelan people at this time of immense grief and hardship," Browne said.
The Prime Minister drew on Antigua and Barbuda's own experience with natural disasters to underscore the significance of the pledge. He recalled the devastation wrought by Hurricane Irma in 2017, which left the island of Barbuda uninhabitable and forced the evacuation of its entire population.
During that crisis, Venezuela played a direct role in the recovery effort — providing aircraft to airlift Barbuda's residents to safety in Antigua.
"That compassionate act of solidarity and good neighbourliness remains deeply etched in the memory of our nation. It is an expression of friendship that Antiguans and Barbudans will never forget," Browne said.
The Prime Minister described the humanitarian contribution as a reflection of Antigua and Barbuda's commitment to reciprocating that gesture of friendship, as Venezuela works to respond to and recover from the earthquake disaster.
