In an official statement released by the Ministry of Popular Power for Foreign Affairs, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela congratulated the Government and the people of Haiti for its 211 years of heroic independence and for being the first Nation to have won its freedom in Latin America.

"The President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, on behalf of the brave people of Venezuela, expressed his happiness to the Government and people of Haiti for the heroic independence of the first free Nation of Our America, there are 211 years.

Our republican history began to be written in Haiti, transformed into a beacon of freedom for all the nations of Latin America and the Caribbean. It was in Haiti, where El Libertador Simón Bolívar found the support in the most difficult times for the Emancipation of the Patria Grande.

Today, the Haitian people continue to show the example to the world by overcoming the greatest setbacks, and we are confident that it will triumph as did Dessalines, Louverture and Pétion.

We make our own the words of Commander Hugo Chavez when he expressed 'I put in my soul the heroism and suffering of the Haitian people with his infinite love and great hope.... By Pétion and Bolivar we have to settle a historical debt with the people of Haiti.'

Haitian people always rely on the solidarity and cooperation of the Government and people of the Bolivarian Venezuela.

Vive Haiti,

Vive Pétion, Bolivar and Chavez !

Viviremos y Venceremos !"

HL/ HaitiLibre