Several countries announced this Thursday (25) the sending of humanitarian aid to Venezuela, which suffered earthquakes last Wednesday night (24). In the South American country, at least 164 people died as a result of the event, while 971 were injured, according to the government’s most recent report.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) instructed Itamaraty to evaluate, together with the Brazilian embassy in Caracas, the situation in the neighboring country.
“I reaffirm our determination to support the government of President Delcy Rodríguez in the recovery of affected areas of this brotherly country, whose people have shown great resilience in the face of adversity,” said Lula, in a post on social media. The Brazilian government has not yet detailed the aid that will be given to Venezuela.
In China, Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun confirmed that Beijing will provide “all possible help” to Venezuela, according to the needs presented by Caracas.
In Russia, President Vladimir Putin expressed “solidarity and support for the friendly people of Venezuela at this difficult time”. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the country would “promptly analyze” a request for help from Venezuela.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez expressed “deep condolences and solidarity with the government and brotherly people of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela for the lives lost.”
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced that he will mobilize teams immediately in an attempt to rescue victims of the earthquakes. The US will also send medical supplies and humanitarian assistance.
Another leader who expressed solidarity was the president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, who confirmed that Venezuela requested “support with teams specialized in rescue and medical care”.
In Europe, France decided to immediately send a specialized team of 85 rescuers for rescue and rubble removal operations. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed solidarity with Venezuela and said the European country must expand its support. Italy, governed by Giorgia Meloni, stressed that it is “ready to provide assistance” to the South American country, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The European Union (EU) was prepared to reinforce aid, according to the bloc’s Commissioner for Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib. The European Copernicus system, which performs satellite detection, was activated to support rescues in Venezuela.
The United Nations (UN) assessed that the tragedy in Venezuela requires “massive collective effort to support the government-led response and help communities”, according to the entity’s head of humanitarian operations, Tom Fletcher. “This disaster risks worsening vulnerabilities”, according to the authority, reinforcing the need for urgent international support.
According to information from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), two strong tremors of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 were recorded with epicenters located near the city of El Guayabo, approximately 168 kilometers from the Venezuelan capital. According to the agency, these were the biggest earthquakes recorded in the country since 1900.
Faced with the magnitude of the tragedy, even governments with a history of hostilities against Caracas offered solidarity and expressed support. In Argentina, the Javier Milei government stated that it “deeply regrets the consequences of the seismic events”. In an official statement, Casa Rosada said it will offer humanitarian assistance if requested by the Venezuelan authorities.
Chile, governed by José Antonio Kast, expressed solidarity and “willingness to provide humanitarian and rescue aid”, while the Rodrigo Paz government, of Bolivia, expressed “support for the brotherly people of Venezuela”. The president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, took to social media to say he would send rescuers and medicine. “Our hearts are with the people of Venezuela in these difficult times,” he said.
Last Wednesday night (24), the interim president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, declared a state of emergency. Simón Bolívar International Airport in Caracas is closed due to the damage.
To deal with the consequences of the earthquakes, the Venezuelan government announced this Thursday (25) the creation of a US$200 million fund (around R$1 billion) that would come from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The resources should be used to rebuild infrastructure and invest in housing for people who lost their homes.
Source: www.brasildefato.com.br
