Speaking on behalf of the brigade, Lieutenant Colonel Ruben Eduardo Pupo, the mission chief, remembered that upon their arrival in Venezuelan territory, aftershocks from the earthquake that rattled the nation were still being felt.

“We did not feel like strangers,” the officer stated. He also invoked the example of the Cuban fighters who fell during the U.S. attack earlier this year, affirming that the mission undertook the duty of fulfilling internationalist solidarity with that same determination.

Pupo highlighted that, alongside Cuban doctors and rescue brigades from other countries, the specialists worked to save lives and provide support to families affected by the disaster.

“None of us wanted to rest until we were certain there were no remaining signs of life in the areas where we were working,” he stated, noting that the greatest reward was the gratitude of the Venezuelan people.

He added that this vocation for service “is not learned from manuals” but is part of the teachings of the Cuban Revolution, which are based on respect for and the defense of human life.

The mission chief affirmed that the brigade left behind a commitment in Venezuela to honor the legacy of the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro; Army General Raul Castro; and former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

“Upon returning to the homeland, we can say with all our might: mission accomplished!” he declared.

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