Jenniffer González visits the Venezuelan border in solidarity with those affected by the Maduro regime

Cúcuta, Colombia- Congresswoman Jenniffer González Colón spoke with Venezuelan refugees on the border with Colombia who seek to escape the dictatorship of Nicolás Maduro as part of a bipartisan congressional trip that examines the impact of humanitarian aid that United States sends to Curaçao and Colombia.

Along with the Congresswoman, the congressional delegation includes Albo Sires (D-NJ), Ted Yoho (R-FL), Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Ted Deutch (D-FL) and Norma Torres (D-CA).

The delegation visited the humanitarian aid center located on the border of Colombia and Venezuela where the aid sent from Puerto Rico, the rest of the United States and other countries is received.

"The hunger and the need experienced by our Venezuelan brothers today is unprecedented. Hospitals without medication, obstacles to progress and safety have a name: Nicolás Maduro. Seeing how thousands of Venezuelans cross the border to Colombia every day to get a plate of food is painful. Women and children walking to get a vaccine, food and return daily because of the dictator Maduro. Seeing this does not compare with what you read in the news, "said the Congresswoman who heard the stories first hand from citizens about the needs in Venezuela and their stories about the risk crossing the border to survive leaving, small things if any.

At the Tienditas binational bridge, on the border were the sand-filled containers that Maduro put up to prevent the entry of aid to Venezuela; There, the Congresswoman spoke with several refugees, exiled political exiles such as Wilmer Azuaje, deputies of the National Assembly of Venezuela such as José Manuel Olivares and Gaby Arellano, and volunteers such as Johana Eugenio, a Venezuelan engineer who advocates Maduro's departure for families to return to their homes in Venezuela.

Mark Green, administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the federal agency in charge of administering humanitarian aid, expressed in the social networks that the impressions of González Colón were correct. "You're absolutely right, @RepJenniffer. It is even more horrible to see in person what #Venezuela people are enduring under the old regime of #Maduro. Thank you for documenting your experience on this important bipartisan trip to #Colombia. "

Carlos Vecchio, the ambassador of Venezuela to the United States and with whom the Congresswoman met this year, thanked the congressmen "for their support and efforts for Humanitarian Aid and for a Free Venezuela."

The delegation met with the president of Colombia, Iván Duque, in Cartagena where they discussed for more than two hours the actions against drug trafficking by the Colombian government, the impact of the migration of Venezuelans in health and education structures in Colombia and handling of humanitarian aid.

They also discussed trade relations between Colombia and the United States, including Puerto Rico. Exports from Puerto Rico to Colombia total $ 19,878,861, being the main medical and pharmaceutical products; while the important ones of the South American country to the island reach $ 390,096,525, with the main coal (to be eliminated) ($ 143 million), "fuel oil" ($ 140 million) and agricultural products.

On the first day of visits, the delegation went to Curaçao to meet with the Prime Minister, Eugene Rhuggenaath, who detailed the impact of Venezuelan migration on the island as well as the effect of sanctions on their refined production industry of oil.

Regarding commercial relations, the commissioner highlighted that exports from Puerto Rico to Curaçao amount to $ 9,447,521, with the main processed foods; pharmaceutical and chemical products; while imports from the Caribbean island that reach Puerto Rico amount to $ 7,973,970, the main ones being refined petroleum.