| | |  News Around the Republic of Mexico 
Mexico Rallies to Help Haiti
 Adrián Jiminez - The News
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January 15, 2010
| | Mexico, with experience of devastating earthquakes, scrambled to send aid to Haiti. Search and rescue teams prepared to leave on Thursday night, as the Red Cross coordinated donations. (Agence France-Presse) | |
The Mexican Navy began loading food and supplies on Thursday morning, which will be shipped today to earthquake victims in Haiti.
Authorities from the Port of Veracruz said that the “Huasteco” docked at 9 a.m. at Pier 4. Trailers packed with food, clothing, diapers, milk, easy-open canned products, medicine, bottled water and other supplies began loading the ship soon after.
The Social Development Secretariat (Sedesol) and its subsidiaries (Diconsa, a public nutrition provider, and Liconsa, a public milk producer and supplier), the National Family Development Agency, the Veracruz state government, the Red Cross and other private and public organizations gathered supplies at delegation collection centers around the country to be sent to the small Caribbean nation.
According to the Navy, the ship will leave today once it reaches maximum capacity, with about 40 tons of materials. Other states are gathering money and supplies as well, which are being sent to Veracruz.
Also today, the second group from the International Rescue Brigade, better known as the “Topos,” was set to depart to the island of Hispaniola, brigade coordinator Fernando Alvarez said. Six experts and a canine search unit were to leave the Mexico City International Airport at 6 a.m. today, with special tools and equipment to search for survivors.
The first group left Thursday morning from Cancún, Alvarez said, and began an assessment of damages to inform Haitian authorities. Mexico will also send doctors and infrastructure experts.
In related news, Rogelio Granguillhome, director of the Economic Relations and International Cooperation Unit, said Thursday that 12 Mexicans were coming home from Haiti. They had asked authorities for a prompt return.
The Foreign Relations Secretariat (SRE) official said that up until yesterday afternoon, 42 Mexicans in Haiti were located, but 38 were still missing. Granguillhome added that the SRE established a tip line for people who wish to provide or request information or find family members.
The SRE also announced on Thursday that it had set up an alternative Mexican embassy in Haiti. It asked Mexicans residing in Haiti to get in contact with the embassy, family members or the SRE via e-mail or phone.
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