CARACAS, Venezuela (AP):
VENEZUELA'S CITGO Petroleum Corp. pledged a US$1 million (820,000 euros) donation for hurricane aid yeterday, while the oil-producing country offered a team of humanitarian workers and fuel to help in areas hit hard by Katrina.
The Foreign Ministry said Venezuela was putting "at the disposition of the American people" its Simon Bolivar Humanitarian Aid Force, which includes some 2,000 soldiers, firefighters, volunteers and other specialists experienced in dealing with disasters.
A team from the force is "ready to travel to the disaster zone and help in aid efforts, if the U.S. authorities decide so," the ministry said in a statement.
"It's a terrible tragedy that our North American brothers are living through there in Mississippi, New Orleans," President Hugo Chavez said in a speech.
Defence Minister Adm. Ramon Orlando Maniglia noted Venezuela regularly provides similar help to Caribbean islands.
"Why not do it with the United States?" Maniglia told reporters. "In the end it's a nation that's also in need at this time."
Citgo, based in Houston and owned by state oil firm Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., pledged US$1 million (820,000 euros) toward relief efforts with the full support of Chavez, the company said in a statement.
"Our hearts go out to the victims of this terrible tragedy and Citgo stands prepared to offer its assistance," company president and CEO Felix Rodriguez said. "The funds will be directed to appropriate relief organisations in the affected areas."
CATASTROPHE
The Government did not specify how much fuel the oil-producing country was offering, an announcement previously made by Chavez on Monday after meeting with the Rev. Jesse Jackson.
The Foreign Ministry said its offer was intended to help ease "the effects of this catastrophe, at a time when the crisis appears to be growing serious due to damage to oil installations in the Gulf of Mexico and the Southern US."
