Sends off mexican boat with aid for Haiti

Veracruz, Veracruz.- In the port of Veracruz, President Felipe Calderón, accompanied by his wife Margarita Zavala, led the Farewell Ceremony for the Papaloapan Boat of the Mexican Navy, carrying over 1,700 tons of aid Mexico is sending to Haiti. During the event, the President announced that he has issued instructions to the foreign office to reinforce the search for Mexicans in the country at the time of the tragedy.

“My government has assumed responsibility for looking after each and every Mexican found inside or outside our borders. I repeat this commitment today, because wherever there is a Mexican, Mexico is also there," he said.

That is why, he said, “We share the enormous concern of many Mexican families who still do not know the whereabouts of their relatives who were in Haiti.”

As a result, he said: “We will continue working hard to locate the Mexicans in Haiti at the time of the tragedy that have not yet been located. I have issued instructions to the Mexican Foreign Affairs Secretariat to step up their efforts at location and we will not rest until we find them."

He said that, “Haiti has suffered one of the worst tragedies of modern times, which is why it needs all our help and solidarity. Responding to this emergency situation, the Mexican Navy’s Papaloapan sets sail for Haiti with another shipment of over 1,700 tons of food, water, medicines and dressing material, generously donated by the people of Mexico.

Accompanied by Governor of Veracruz, Fidel Herrera Beltrán, and the Secretaries of the Navy, National Defense and Sedesol: Almirante Mariano Francisco Saynez Mendoza, General Guillermo Galván Galván and Heriberto Félix Guerra, respectively, the President thanked the Mexican people for their generosity and response to the tragedy suffered by Haiti.

“This has been a record response by all Mexicans. Over five thousand tons of aid have been received to date, excluding the items in transit. This means that each Haitian is receiving over a kilo and a half of aid from the Mexican people," he said.

He explained that in addition to the humanitarian aid, the Papaloapan is carrying doctors, engineers and highly qualified personnel from the Navy, which collaborated in the rescue and reconstruction work and an M-17 helicopter, especially trained for rescue work, capable of transporting over 30 persons and over 4 tons of aid.

As a result, he said that, "We should all feel proud of having poured aid into this sister nation," highlighting the fact that, “Once again, we have provided proof of Mexico’s characteristic solidarity,”