On his Twitter account, Smeriglio, a member of the progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, published his letter on this matter to Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

He states that he considers “our duty and responsibility as the European Union to express our deepest solidarity with the Cuban people, and to do everything possible to ensure our maximum assistance”, in the face of this tragic incident that began last Friday.

Massimiliano Smeriglio, who is also a militant of the Italian Democratic Party, mentions the solidarity aid provided to Cuba by Mexico, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Russia and other nations, which was thanked by Cuban President Miguel Diaz Canel.

He adds that Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio tweeted that the US government offered technical assistance to help quell the fire.

Let’s not forget, Smeriglio says in his letter to the vice president of the European Commission, that Cuba is still struggling to recover from the crisis caused by the pandemic and the fall of the tourist industry.

The Italian MEP also reminds Borrell that Cuban medical brigades “only a few months ago were helping European countries, including my own, during the peak of infections and fears” as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic.

jg/arm/ro/ort