Cablegate: Tsuf01: Goc and Private Offers of Hurricane

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

022103Z Sep 05

UNCLAS BOGOTA 008334

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL ECON ASEC CASC MARR AMGT AMER
SUBJECT: TSUF01: GOC AND PRIVATE OFFERS OF HURRICANE
ASSISTANCE

REF: A. STATE 162270

B. BOGOTA 08197
C. BOGOTA 08281

1. (U) As requested in Ref A, the Embassy has accepted in
principle the 20 bilingual members of the Colombian disaster
assistance force to help with recovery efforts offered by the
GOC in Ref B. The GOC has made additional, but non-specific,
offers of assistance as noted in Ref C.

2. (U) The Embassy has received several offers of assistance
from private citizens and groups. Private Colombian citizens
offering monetary assistance have been directed to the
International Red Cross. Post would appreciate guidance as to
how to respond to offers of technical assistance and other
non-monetary donations from private citizens. A list of some
of these offers follows:

-Mr. Gustavo GAVINA Angel, a Colombian citizen and owner of a
coffee export business, Industrias Aliadas, in Ibague,
Tolima, has offered unlimited coffee from his storage
facility in Miami. He also has offered to transport the
coffee from Miami to other locations. He speaks English
fluently and can be contacted at (578)317-7783 (land) or
(57)310-266-9705 (mobile). He may have made a similar offer
to the International Red Cross.

-Dr. Luis Eduardo CRUZ, a medical doctor, and other members
of a civil assistance group called Grupo de Apoyo General
Defensa Civil from Cali, have offered to help with search and
rescue missions.

-Mr. Guillermo SANCHEZ Blanco, a retired employee of the
petroleum company Occidental de Colombia with experience in
materials and security issues, has offered his expertise and
assistance in restoring oil production in the Gulf of Mexico.
He has a tourist visa and can be contacted at (571)863-7328
(land) and (57)300-209-7973.

-Offers of technical assistance from civil and electrical
engineers, included those who have been licensed in the
United States.

-Offers of medical assistance from various groups of doctors
and nurses.

WOOD

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