A total of 18 tons of humanitarian aid for flood victims have reached Venezuela from Uruguay and Syria, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

A Uruguayan air force plane loaded with 13 tons of food, medicine, blankets and diapers landed at the Simon Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia, about 25 km north of Caracas.

The aid will be distributed to the 133,000 victims of floods and mudslides triggered by the country's heaviest rainfalls in the past 40 years.

The aid is "in retribution for all that Venezuela has done for countries in the region," Uruguayan trade counselor in Venezuela Manuel Etchevarren said in a statement.

Uruguay will send more aid to Venezuela, Etchevarren said.

The Venezuelan government said they also received 5 tons of aid sent by Syria. The aid, including infant formula, cots, blankets, clothes, medicines, and hygiene products, is the first of the eight shipments from Syria that will total 40 tons.

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