Vietnamese Rescue Team: Bringing the heart of Vietnam to Venezuela
WVR - Not only bringing rescue equipment and relief supplies, the Vietnamese rescue team to Venezuela also carries the spirit of solidarity, international responsibility, and the humanitarian tradition of the Vietnamese people. In the most challenging times, sincere sharing is always the universal language that connects hearts, transcending geographical distances and cultural differences.
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| Minister Yvan Gil Pinto shakes hands with Major General Pham Van Ty, head of the Vietnamese delegation. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Venezuela) |
“I thank you from the bottom of my heart.” The heartfelt words of Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil Pinto resonated as he, along with Vietnamese Ambassador to Venezuela Vu Trung My, welcomed the Vietnamese rescue team at Simón Bolívar International Airport (Maiquetía) after a journey of more than 22 hours across half the globe.
As Venezuela grapples with the severe aftermath of the earthquake, the presence of the Vietnamese rescue team brings not only modern equipment, trained dogs, relief supplies, and disaster response experience, but also the solidarity, compassion, and goodwill of the Vietnamese people for their Venezuelan friends.
Amidst the rubble, where every minute is a race against time to save lives, each step of the Vietnamese rescue force carries hope. This is not just a humanitarian mission but a vivid symbol of the spirit of “helping friends as helping oneself,” reflecting the international responsibility that Vietnam steadfastly pursues.
In recent years, from Türkiye, Myanmar to Venezuela, Vietnam has increasingly taken the initiative in participating in international humanitarian relief efforts. Each journey is a testament to Vietnam’s humane, responsible, and proactive foreign policy, a nation that once received international support during difficult times and now stands ready to share with other nations in distress.
The journey across half the globe by the Vietnamese rescue team is also a continuation of the traditional friendship between Vietnam and Venezuela. In the most challenging hours, the friendship between the two nations is not demonstrated through diplomatic statements but through the tireless hands searching for life beneath the rubble, with a determination not to give up even when there is just a glimmer of hope.
The earthquake has caused particularly severe consequences for Venezuela, resulting in at least 1,719 deaths, over 5,000 injuries, and tens of thousands of evacuations (source: Reuters). Search and rescue operations are urgently underway under extremely challenging conditions. To date, 30 countries have sent rescue forces and humanitarian aid to Venezuela, including Vietnam, joining hands with the government and people of the host country to overcome the disaster.
Behind this journey is the close coordination between domestic agencies, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of National Defense, and the Vietnamese Representative Mission in Venezuela. Under the direction of Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung and the leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Vietnamese Embassy in Venezuela has proactively coordinated with local authorities, supporting the rescue team in implementing their mission while effectively protecting citizens. This timely and synchronized coordination not only ensures the effectiveness of the rescue mission but also reflects the responsibility, proactivity, and humanitarian spirit of Vietnamese diplomacy in accompanying people and international friends when facing natural disasters and catastrophes.
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| The Vietnamese rescue team surveys the scene to begin rescue operations. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Venezuela) |
The words of gratitude from the Venezuelan Foreign Minister are not only a tribute to the officers and soldiers tirelessly working on foreign soil but also an acknowledgment of the image of a responsible, humane Vietnam always ready to join the international community in facing humanity's common disasters.
Some bridges are built with concrete, steel, and agreements. But there are also bridges built with compassion. The flight of the Vietnamese rescue team to Venezuela has added such a bridge, one not measured in kilometers, but in trust, friendship, and empathetic hearts. Perhaps that is why the phrase “I thank you from the bottom of my heart” will linger long in the memories of the people of both countries, as a beautiful symbol of the Vietnam-Venezuela friendship and a humane diplomacy that always begins with people, touching hearts.
(Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Venezuela)
