The shadows of synthetic macaws are cast on the pavement backdropped by a mural of a macaw as pedestrians wearing protective face masks walk past, in the Petare neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, June 5, 2020.(ARIANA CUBILLOS / AP)

CARACAS - Venezuela’s government said on Monday that a flight carrying humanitarian aid for the COVID-19 epidemic had arrived from Iran, which has become a crucial ally to the South American nation amid US sanctions.

Today we are seeing the arrival of these materials to strengthen Venezuela in its fight against coronavirus.

Hojjatollah Soltani, Iran’s ambassador to Venezuela

Washington has created a broad sanctions program against the government of President Nicolas Maduro in efforts to force him from power. That has led Maduro to expand an alliance with Iran, which recently supplied gasoline to Venezuela.

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“Right now, what we are receiving is different types of testing kits,” Planning Minister Ricardo Menendez said on state television, standing on a runway at the country’s Maiquetia airport near what appeared to be boxes piled on pallets.

Iran’s ambassador to Venezuela, Hojjatollah Soltani, said: “Today we are seeing the arrival of these materials to strengthen Venezuela in its fight against coronavirus.”

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Health experts say Venezuela is at high risk in the epidemic due to a broad economic collapse that has severely weakened public hospitals and undermined public services including electricity and running water.

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