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# News Release: USNS Comfort Mission Stops Announced

**MIAMI –** The U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) will return for another deployment to South America, Central America, and the Caribbean mid-June to begin a five-month medical assistance mission as a result of the humanitarian crisis created by the ongoing political and economic instability in Venezuela.

Comfort medical teams will pull in to Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Panama, Peru, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Trinidad and Tobago for working port visits.

“This deployment responds directly to the man-made crisis Maduro’s regime has created,” said U.S. Navy Adm. Craig Faller, commander of U.S. Southern Command, which will oversee the deployment. “Comfort medical teams will be working alongside host nation medical professionals who are absorbing thousands of Venezuelan migrants and refugees. The Venezuelan people are desperately fleeing their homeland for hope of a better way of life. We are committed to finding ways to support the Venezuelan people and our regional partners who share the goal of seeing a legitimate, democratic government reinstated in Venezuela.”

From October to December 2018, Comfort completed its sixth deployment, an 11-week deployment for medical support to Ecuador, Peru, Colombia and Honduras, helping more than 26,700 patients in need, including 599 onboard surgeries.

This marks the seventh hospital ship deployment to the region since 2007. The embarked medical teams will provide care on board and at land-based medical sites, helping to relieve pressure on national medical systems strained partly by an increase in cross-border migrants. As with the last deployment, the plan is to embark medical professionals from partner nations to join in the effort to provide medical care to patients. The deployment reflects the United States’ enduring promise of friendship, partnership and solidarity with the Americas.

*NOTE: Updated July 8 to include Peru and Trinidad and Tobago to list of countries Comfort will visit.*

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**En español**

## Se anuncian las paradas de la misión del USNS Comfort

**MIAMI** - El buque hospital USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) de la Marina de los EE. UU. regresará para otro despliegue en Sudamérica, América Central y el Caribe a mediados de junio con el objetivo de iniciar una misión de asistencia médica de cinco meses como resultado de la crisis humanitaria creada por la actual inestabilidad política y económica en Venezuela.

Los equipos médicos del Comfort se trasladarán a Colombia, Costa Rica, la República Dominicana, Ecuador, Granada, Haití, Jamaica, Panamá, Peru, Santa Lucía, San Kitts y Nevis, y Trinidad y Tobago.

"Este despliegue responde de manera directa a la crisis provocada por el régimen de Maduro", dijo el Almirante de la Marina de los EE. UU. Craig Faller, comandante del Comando Sur de los EE. UU., quien supervisará el despliegue. “Los equipos médicos del Comfort trabajarán junto con los profesionales médicos de las naciones anfitrionas que han absorbido a miles de migrantes y refugiados venezolanos. El pueblo venezolano huye de forma desesperada de su patria en busca de una mejor forma de vida. Estamos comprometidos a encontrar maneras de apoyar al pueblo venezolano y a nuestros socios regionales que comparten la meta de ver un gobierno legítimo y democrático reinstalado en Venezuela".

Entre octubre y diciembre de 2018, el Comfort completó su sexto despliegue de 11 semanas de asistencia médica a Ecuador, Perú, Colombia y Honduras, misión que ayudó a más de 26,700 pacientes necesitados, incluidas 599 cirugías a bordo.

Esta misión es el séptimo despliegue del buque hospital a la región desde 2007. Los equipos médicos embarcados brindarán asistencia médica a bordo y en los centros médicos locales, lo cual aliviará la presión en los sistemas médicos nacionales, que se ven afectados en parte por el aumento del número de migrantes transfronterizos. Al igual que con el último despliegue, el plan es embarcar a profesionales médicos de los países socios para que se unan al esfuerzo de brindar atención médica a los pacientes. El despliegue refleja la promesa duradera de amistad, asociación y solidaridad de los Estados Unidos y el resto de las Américas.

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