Germany Uses Aruba as a Base for Humanitarian Assistance to Venezuela

Germany has selected Aruba as a logistical hub for a humanitarian air bridge supporting Venezuela. At present, two flights depart from Aruba each day to transport personnel, equipment, and medical supplies. The operation is expected to continue through July 2, after which the situation and any further humanitarian needs in Venezuela will be reassessed.

According to Prime Minister Eman, Aruba is proud to contribute to a mission whose primary objective is to save lives.

"It is an honor for us that Germany has chosen Aruba as the base for its air support operations to Venezuela. This reflects the confidence in our country and in our ability to facilitate an operation of this scale."

During the visit, the delegation had the opportunity to tour the Airbus A400M Atlas and see firsthand how the aircraft has been configured as a flying hospital. The aircraft is equipped with six intensive care beds for transporting critically ill patients.

"It is truly impressive to see this aircraft from the inside. The operation is carried out with the highest level of professionalism. You witness the dedication of more than twenty people—from pilots to physicians, nurses, and technical personnel—all working together to provide the highest standard of medical care," Prime Minister Eman said.

The Prime Minister expressed hope that the humanitarian mission will help strengthen Venezuela's healthcare system during this difficult period.

"I am grateful that this type of assistance is available to Venezuela. This initiative has one clear purpose: to help people who urgently need medical care."

Prime Minister Eman also expressed his appreciation to the commanding officer, the pilots, the medical team, and all German personnel involved in making the operation possible.

"We are here to express our gratitude to the commanding officer, the pilots, the medical team, and everyone else involved in carrying out this mission. At the same time, we would like to thank the Department of Civil Aviation, Aruba Airport Authority N.V., and all the agencies that process requests for humanitarian flights on a daily basis."

In addition to the German operation, the Government of Aruba continues to process requests from various aircraft and helicopters seeking permission to land in Aruba or transit Aruba's airspace while conducting humanitarian missions in support of Venezuela.

"This is important work that we carry out in solidarity with Venezuela. It is part of our cooperation within the Kingdom of the Netherlands and with other countries contributing to the humanitarian relief effort," Prime Minister Eman said.

Airbus A400M Atlas
The Airbus A400M Atlas is a military transport aircraft developed by Airbus Defence and Space for logistical, humanitarian, and medical missions. It is capable of transporting heavy cargo, vehicles, personnel, and emergency equipment over long distances.

For the current mission in Aruba, the aircraft has been configured as a flying hospital, complete with six intensive care beds and a specialized medical team to transport critically ill patients.

Thanks to its ability to operate in a wide range of environments and from different types of runways, the A400M is widely regarded as one of the world's most advanced and versatile military transport aircraft.