Guatemala city, Guatemala.- Cuban Ambassador to Guatemala Carlos de Cespedes confirmed on Monday that 18 Cuban medical professionals, who live and work in the Guatemalan municipality of Escuintla, are well and out of danger, after a new eruption of the Volcano of Fire (Volcan de Fuego).

In statements to Prensa Latina, Céspedes said that since the day before, when the huge activity began, he immediately communicated with the doctors and the national coordination of the Medical Brigade (BMC), which are pending of the evolution of the volcano’s activity.

‘Colaborators remain in their work stations without any risk, and we have taken the necessary preventive measures in case it is necessary to evacuate the area,’ he explained.

The diplomat pointed out that transport for the transfer to places of greater security is guaranteed in case there is a risk to life.

On June 3, the Vocano of Fire reported its best powerful eruptions this year, with 198 deaths, almost 200 missing people and 1.7 million homeless, a tragedy that plagued this Central American country.

Cuban doctors based in Escuintla then stayed with the Guatemalans, providing 24-hour medical attention in four temporary shelters opened by the municipality.

The professionalism of their services in the first hours of the disaster caused national health authorities to request the reinforcement of the Escuintla brigade with another group of colleagues who are specialized in disaster situations.

This solidarity from Cuba was maintained for several weeks during the emergency phase, when 4,800 people received attention and lost everything because of the eruption.

It was not the first time that the Cuban Medical Brigade faces a situation of extreme danger, because its presence in Guatemala began a few hours after Hurricane Mitch hit Central America, with the arrival of the first medical brigades that today celebrate 20 years of uninterrupted work in the most distant places of the nationalgeography.