US President Donald Trump agreed to send medical aid to Colombia to help confront the coronavirus crisis, the White House and President Ivan Duque said Thursday.
In his daily Facebook Live transmission, Duque said he had a “friendly conversation” with his US counterpart in which the two “primarily expressed our solidarity.”
According to the president, Trump confirmed that US authorities would “provide us with access to any type of equipment that is important for dealing with” the contingency of the virus.
Specifically, Colombia would be receiving ventilators that are crucial to treat patients suffering respiratory illnesses, said Duque.
“We hope they are coming next month because we know they have needs in other states as well,” the president said.
The White House said in a press release that “Trump agreed to provide critical resources to help Colombia’s healthcare system.”
Medical supplies from the US came to a halt after the US president enacted the so-called Defense Production Act that forces US businesses to prioritize the production and distribution of medical equipment inside the US where more than 50,000 people have already died from the virus.
Duque additionally said that he and the US president “agreed to be sharing information. It was a fraternal conversation and we understand that we are working as a team to address this pandemic.”
The relationship between the United States and Colombia remains strong, and President Trump and President Duque agreed to stay in close communication as we move beyond the COVID-19 crisis.
White House
The White House sstressed that “both leaders restated the importance of their strategic partnership for the Western Hemisphere and the need to continue working to address the ongoing Venezuelan crisis and other mutual priorities in the region.”