(El Universal) - "On behalf of the National Executive, Minister of Foreign Affairs Nicolás Maduro sent a message of sympathy to the Brazilian government and people due to an air accident occurred in Sao Paolo, resulting in 140 people dead, reported official news agency ABN.

Last Tuesday, a plane of Brazilian airliner TAM with 178 people on board skidded off the runway and crashed on Congonha airport, Sao Paolo.

With this message the Venezuelan Foreign Minister started his speech in the opening session of the Coordination Meeting, Second South-America-Africa Summit, which began last Monday at Meliá Caracas Hotel.

Maduro asked Brazilian Ambassador Fernando Jacques de Magalhaes to transmit the condolences to his government".