earthquakes that hit Venezuela on June 24th. La Guaira and Caracas were the areas most affected by the 7.5 and 7.2-magnitude earthquakes, which struck 30 seconds apart and claimed at least 6,500 lives. Tens of thousands of people remain missing. The rice was loaded in two 20 feet shipping containers that were handed over to Venezuela by the Surinamese ambassador, Georgette

García Elías. Gustavo Díaz Aular, general director at the Bureau of the Vice Minister for the Caribbean Region of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Venezuela and Admiral José Rafael Hernández Abchi received the donation on behalf of Venezuela. Ambassador García-Elías who spoke on behalf of President Jennifer Simons emphasized that Suriname underlined its solidarity with the Venezuelan people with this contribution. The donation is aimed at supporting the recovery and rebuilding of Venezuela and it also portrays the strong friendship between both countries. This is the second shipment of humanitarian aid that Suriname has sent to Venezuela after it was hit by the twin earthquakes. The first shipment was sent by plane.