Venezuelan Vice-President Jose Vicente Rangel announced Friday that his country had sent some 100,000 barrels of diesel and gasoline to Haiti, two days before its newly elected president is due to take office.

The fuel on board a ship destined for the Caribbean island nation on Saturday is scheduled to be unloaded on Sunday, when Haitian president-elect Rene Preval takes office after winning the election in February.

It is not a gift, but a shipment under very favorable conditions, Rangel said.

"That is the difference between the ships of The Empire, which are intended for war and blackmail, and our ships, which bring freedom, democracy and social support," Rangel said in an apparent reference to the United States.

Rangel also said he will go to Haiti to attend Preval's inauguration on Sunday.

Preval paid an official visit to Venezuela in April and met with President Hugo Chavez.

Source: Xinhua