HAVANA.- A cargo of timber from Nicaragua, intended for the rehabilitation of buildings affected by Hurricane Irma that hit Cuba last September, arrived in Mariel Special Development Zone (ZEDM by its Spanish acronym).

The donation arrived at a very right time, said Rodrigo Malmierca, Cuban Minister for Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment (MINCEX by its Spanish acronym), who said that it will help to mitigate the damage caused by the hydro-meteorological event.

There are 30 containers with 600 tons of various types of processed and treated wood ready to be used in the various constructive actions, said Raciel Proenza, MINCEX Deputy General Director for Economic Collaboration.

We lack enough wood to cover all the needs that Irma left, said Proenza, and highlighted the solidarity gestures that the Nicaraguan people have historically had with Cuba when facing similar contingencies.

Luis Cabrera Gonzalez, Nicaraguan ambassador to Havana, highlighted the capacity of the Cuban authorities and people when facing events of significant magnitude such as Hurricane Irma, adding that they will always be able to count on the brotherhood of the Central American nation.

Rogelio Sierra Diaz, Cuban Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; Ana Teresa Igarza, general director of the ZEDM Office, and Alina Gali, general director of MINCEX Executing Company of Donations, attended the shipment welcoming ceremony.