US embassy cable - 05BOGOTA8334

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