As Venezuelans starve, their government offers hurricane aid to Caribbean islands

When Hurricane Harvey hit, Venezuela offered $5 million in aid to Texas through its Citgo petroleum company. Then came hurricanes Irma, Jose and Maria, and with every threat, Venezuela’s military cargo planes and helicopters were there, helping with relief and recovery from Cuba to Dominica. The South American country may be engulfed in political and economic turmoil with acute food shortages, soaring prices and fresh U.S. sanctions, but that isn’t stopping its besieged government from coming to the rescue of Caribbean islands ravaged by a string of catastrophic storms. The assistance is raising questions about whether it’s more about scoring political points and winning allies than humanitarianism. More….