In an conversation with reporter of the People's Army Newspaper, Lt. Col. Raúl Serrano Chacón said that working with the Vietnamese contingent posed virtually no major challenges. The only initial obstacle was the language barrier, which was quickly overcome with the assistance of the contingent’s members who spoke Spanish, allowing both sides to communicate effectively.
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Major General Pham Van Ty, head of the Vietnamese contingent (second from the left), presents a gift to Lt. Col. Raúl Serrano Chacón. |
"I would like to express my deepest appreciation for the dedication, professionalism, and discipline the Vietnamese contingent demonstrated from the moment they arrived in Venezuela," he said.
Operating in the disaster zone, the Vietnamese personnel faced numerous dangers, including unstable concrete structures on the verge of collapse, ongoing aftershocks, and air filled with dust and the odor of decomposing bodies. They also endured difficult living conditions and harsh weather.
"The members of the Vietnamese contingent adapted exceptionally well to the operational environment. They were highly capable, professional, deeply committed to their mission, and worked together with excellent coordination," Lt. Col. Raúl Serrano Chacón said.
Throughout his time working as a coordinator, the Venezuelan officer was especially moved by the support shown by local residents, whether through small gifts of fruit or bottles of cold water offered to the Vietnamese officers and soldiers as they raced against time at the disaster site.
The local people were profoundly grateful to those who had traveled from the other side of the world to Venezuela to search for victims, recover bodies from the rubble, provide free medical examinations and medications, distribute essential supplies, and help residents move their belongings.
"Could there be a more meaningful act of solidarity? What the Vietnamese contingent accomplished brought comfort to the families of the victims. Their effectiveness, professionalism, discipline, compassion, and profound spirit of solidarity were evident throughout their participation in the earthquake relief effort in Venezuela," Lt. Col. Raúl Serrano Chacón affirmed.
By Hoang Vu (from La Guaira, Venezuela)
Translated by Tran Hoai