A group of rescuers from El Salvador lands in Venezuela on June 25, 2026. Photo: X/@delcyrodriguezv.
Following the double earthquake that shook Venezuela on June 24, the country has become the epicenter of a broad deployment of international assistance. Under coordination of a unified operations center of the national government and with La Guaira being declared a disaster zone, technical delegations, multilateral organizations, specialized rescue teams, and governments from various countries of the world have coordinated joint responses to support search and rescue efforts, humanitarian aid, and recovery of affected areas.
Report on the international rescue operations
According to the latest official report, the international response has become one of the largest cooperation operations in the region to mitigate the impacts of natural disaster. In total, 51 international delegations are actively participating in assistance, with a contingent consisting of 3,660 specialized foreign rescuers, 148 canine search and rescue units, and 49 operational support vehicles.
The deployment has also prompted 707 tons of humanitarian aid into the country, consisting of technical equipment, medicines, medical supplies, food, and essential supplies aimed at strengthening emergency care and rescue efforts.
This international effort is complemented by a large national mobilization of 26,121 Venezuelan personnel deployed in the affected areas, and 15,467 volunteers registered to assist in search and rescue operations, logistics, medical care, and support for affected communities.
Multilateral and financial assistance
The magnitude of the catastrophe, which resulted in 2,295 deceased, 11,267 injured, and 12,721 affected families, prompted activation of international mechanisms by Venezuelan diplomacy for technical, financial, and humanitarian assistance to strengthen the emergency response.
In the multilateral arena, the United Nations (UN) activated the INSARAG network through the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). As part of this network, 17 out of the 25 UN teams initially mobilized were national units certified in Urban Search and Rescue (USAR). Moreover, experts from the UNDAC teams were deployed in Greater Caracas and La Guaira to conduct technical assessments of structural damage and determine the most urgent needs of affected populations.
In terms of financing, the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF) announced a donation of $300,000 for humanitarian assistance. Furthermore, its executive president, Sergio Díaz-Granados, announced the creation of the Fund for the Recovery and Reconstruction of Venezuela, endowed with an initial seed capital of $1 million, free of administrative fees. This mechanism was structured in three phases: the provision of essential supplies, the rehabilitation of critical services (such as health, water, energy, and education), and long-term structural reconstruction, all under an independent audit scheme.
Similarly, the International Federation of the Red Cross began sending 40 tons of humanitarian aid from its logistics center in Panama to assist 800 families. The first shipment, weighing 17 tons, was dispatched by air. The organization also reported that it is keeping its field hospitals operational, despite the critical damage suffered by the Venezuelan Red Cross national headquarters.
The Netherlands announced an initial contribution of €2 million, intended to cover immediate needs on the ground and acquiring first response equipment.
Additionally, the People’s Republic of China allocated 100 million yuan, equivalent to $14,709,880, to support relief efforts and infrastructure reconstruction. Chinese cooperation includes the strategic provision of high-resolution satellite images of the affected areas to support assessment and response operations.
The private sector has also had its participation. The oil company Shell, which operates in Venezuela through OFAC licenses, announced a contribution of $5 million to be channeled through the World Food Program (WFP) and Venezuelan humanitarian organizations to finance emergency food assistance and essential supplies for vulnerable communities. In this regard, Adam Lowmass, president of Shell Venezuela, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to support the country during its recovery process.
Operational deployment: country by country
The international response has materialized through the efforts of dozens of countries, whose contingents have coordinated with Civil Protection and the Bolivarian National Armed Force (FANB) to efficiently cover the various operational regions. Below are some notable examples of international deployment, however this list does not cover all nations that have contributed to rescue efforts in the emergency zone.
Latin America and the Caribbean
- Mexico: It dispatched one of the largest Latin American delegations, composed of 272 specialists from the National Defense Secretariat (SEDENA) and canine units, mobilized on two aircraft from the Mexican Air Force. Additionally, members of the Topos Azteca organization were mobilized.
- El Salvador: President Nayib Bukele announced an aid response consisting of six aircraft, 300 rescuers, and 150 tons of supplies. By June 26, the first three planes had arrived with 115 specialists, heavy machinery, and the Canine Brigade, deployed to the critical points in La Guaira.
- Colombia: The government sent the elite unit USAR COL-1, composed of 63 rescuers, four canine pairs, and 12 tons of technical equipment, under the coordination of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD).
- Argentina: Under the command of Colonel Wissinger and received by the minister of Defense, General in Chief Gustavo González López, the contingent of marines and war dogs was deployed with operational responsibility over the city of Caraballeda.
- Ecuador and the Dominican Republic: Both countries deployed operational teams on the central coast. Ecuador mobilized 47 rescuers, two dogs, and six tons of equipment aboard a C-130 Hercules aircraft from the Ecuadorian Air Force. The Dominican Republic has sent two contingents of rescuers from the Specialized Body for Emergency and Disaster Mitigation (Cemed) of the Ministry of Defense, the Emergency Operations Center (COE), and the Civil Defense of that country.
- Peru: The minister of the Interior, José Zapata, announced the dispatch of a delegation consisting of 44 firefighters from the Specialized Group USAR Peru (Medium Level), with more than two decades of experience. The mission, led by Brigadier Claudio Sáenz, includes the rescue dog Kayra and works in coordination with brigades from Ecuador, Chile, Colombia, and Brazil.
- Chile: 34 specialized firefighters arrived with six tons of advanced tools for operations in seismic scenarios, led by the undersecretary of the Interior, Max Pavez.
North America and Europe
- United States: The State Department deployed the international urban search and rescue team USA-2 from the Los Angeles Fire Department. The mission is made up of 328 rescuers, doctors and structural technicians, 12 specialized canines and heavy machinery for debris removal. The contingent was received by Chargé d’Affaires John Barrett and Major General of the Marine Corps Kevin Jarrard.
- Spain: A military aircraft from the Ministry of Defense transported 59 specialists from the Military Emergency Unit (UME) and two structural engineers from the Spanish Army, directly incorporated into the operations in La Guaira. The Spanish mission included 14 tons of cargo.
- Switzerland: The mission, led by Ambassador François Voeffray Peyró, consists of 80 specialists, eight search dogs, and 18 tons of technical equipment. The contingent arrived at Libertador Air Base and was subsequently transferred to Caracas through an operation coordinated by the FANB and Metrobús.
- Germany: During the early hours of June 27, a team of 48 specialists and four tracking dogs arrived, transported with the support of the Luftwaffe. The rescuers belong to the United Nations-backed Foreign Rapid Response Rescue Unit, with experience in emergencies such as those in Beirut and Turkey.
- United Kingdom: It deployed a team of 68 rescuers (UK ISAR) along with 6 specialized dogs. In addition, it allocated an initial humanitarian aid package of 2 million pounds sterling (about 2.3 million euros).
- Kingdom of the Netherlands: It sent a contingent of 64 rescuers, four dogs, and primary rescue equipment, from Eindhoven Air Base and coordinated with the Ministry of Justice and Security, assigned to the Macuto sector.
Asia
- People’s Republic of China: In addition to financial aid and the provision of satellite images, Chinese companies with a presence in Venezuela formed autonomous engineering brigades that provided heavy machinery, emergency medical supplies, and food to support recovery efforts.
- Vietnam: The Vietnamese delegation consists of 82 officers and soldiers from the Ministry of Defense and 42 officers and agents from the Ministry of Public Security. It also plans to transport hundreds of tons of rescue equipment, as well as supplies and essential items intended to strengthen the humanitarian response in Venezuela.
- Qatar: It deployed a team of certified Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) specialists, supported by advanced technical equipment, specialized vehicles for operations in collapsed structures, medical equipment, and fully equipped field hospitals to care for the injured. Simultaneously, it activated a humanitarian airlift through the Qatar Development Fund for the shipment of food, medicines, medical supplies, and materials for shelters.
- Turkey: The Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) mobilized 38 search and rescue specialists, five doctors from the Ministry of Health, two volunteers from the Turkish Red Crescent, 22 members of the Humanitarian Aid Brigade, two search dogs, and three rapid response vehicles.
Rescues and notable cases of cooperation to save lives
Joint search and rescue operations have made it possible to save thousands of lives since the beginning. The most recent assessment estimates that about 30,000 people were in the areas of Caraballeda and Catia La Mar (La Guaira), states most affected by the two earthquakes. Of that total, between 13,400 and 13,500 people managed to leave on their own or with the help of family members during the first hours of the natural disaster.
In addition, there were 6,461 people rescued alive by national and international brigades deployed on the ground. On the first day, 2,407 people were rescued; on the second, 2,973; on the third, 731; on the fourth, 345; on the fifth, four; and on June 29, a two-year-old baby was found alive under the rubble. In total, 19,861 lives were saved in the state of La Guaira thanks to search and rescue operations.
Within these operations, several cases stand out that reflect the high level of coordination between Venezuelan teams and international delegations. Of the most notable was the “Miracle of Tanaguarena,” where Aaron Levi Cantillo, 21, was rescued alive after being trapped for 106 hours under the rubble of the OPP-25 building in the Caraballeda parish. The complex extraction maneuver lasted for 43 hours in a row and was jointly executed by Civil Protection officials from various states as well as specialists sent from Mexico and El Salvador.
Another highly significant rescue took place in the La Estrella building in the Macuto province of La Guaira, where a team of Venezuelan, Ecuadorian, and Dominican rescuers were able to extract 12-year-old Carlos Miguel Colmenares alive on June 29, after being trapped under the rubble for five days.
Similarly in Caraballeda, an operation led by Argentine marines helped locate two minors trapped in a deep tunnel, thanks to the work of Bart, a search dog from the Argentine contingent. The precise marking by Bart was crucial for the mission’s success, which is why he was recognized by the Venezuelan authorities at the site of the operation.
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The international perspective on Venezuela’s performance in disaster response
An aspect that has generated great recognition among foreign delegations has been the performance of Venezuelan institutions during the emergency response. Rescuers and specialists from various countries have highlighted the organizational capacity and commitment demonstrated by national teams during search and rescue operations.
The officer of the Community of Madrid Fire Department, Chema González, noted that since his arrival in the country, he encountered situations characterized by wide deployments of security and institutional control. “When we arrived, everyone was in the streets. The presence of military and police officers, practically on every corner, makes it possible to work safely. These disasters bring out the best and worst of human nature,” he said.
Similarly, technical commanders from the Military Emergency Unit (UME) of Spain and the Swiss delegation highlighted the effectiveness of the Venezuelan Unified Command, emphasizing that the organized distribution of work prevented duplicated efforts and optimized number of personnel, time efficiency, and availability of resources during rescue operations.
Christian Kuperbank, representative of the renowned Topos International Rescue Brigade, publicly declared all to recognize the work of Venezuelan first response organizations. “We found Venezuelan groups working quite well under the circumstances. We ask that their work not be underestimated; for many, this is their first earthquake. The locals are working here although their relatives may be missing.”
John Barrett, chargé d’affaires of the United States in Venezuela and the highest-ranking US diplomatic representative in the country, said, “The commitment of the acting government is comprehensive. The Venezuelan forces are working shoulder to shoulder with the US.”
These testimonies confirm that the emergency response is led by the Venezuelan government, whose actions are fundamental to mitigating the crisis. This national effort has been strengthened by strategic coordination with international cooperation, resulting in a joint effort to save lives and lay the foundations for the reconstruction of the affected areas and communities in a sustained and long-term recovery process.
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/SC/SH
