The president of the National Assembly of Venezuela, Jorge Rodríguez, presenting a report on the government's disaster management efforts following the June 24 earthquakes at a press conference, July 11, 2026. Photo: Fausto Torrealba/AVN.
In a press conference with national and international media, the president of the National Assembly of Venezuela and head of the General Staff for the creation of temporary camps, Jorge Rodríguez, presented a comprehensive report on the recovery actions being carried out by the Venezuelan government following the earthquakes of June 24. Rodríguez emphasized that the government is prioritizing a definitive solution to housing and transparency in the registration of the affected people.
The government has formally initiated the Unique Housing Registry, a system that uses fingerprint to create a reliable database of people who have lost their homes. Rodríguez explained that each family is given a receipt with a QR code, which serves as an official certification that they will receive a new home. “This QR is your home,” he stated, urging families not to hesitate to move to solidarity camps if they need.
Accoridng to Rodríguez’s explanation, the housing plan includes three immediate action areas:
- Transitional housing: with fast construction of single-family units with basic services (kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom) to prevent overcrowding in shelters.
- Secondary market and completion: which provides for the direct purchase of homes in the private market and the completion of works of the Great Venezuela Housing Mission (GMVV).
- Earthquake-resistant cities: a project in which more than 40 plots of land have already been identified in the state of La Guaira (in areas such as Catia La Mar, Caraballeda, and La Sabana) for the development of modern urban areas with comprehensive services, totaling 584,000 square meters for the construction of low-rise buildings.
Rodríguez announced that next week the first 200 homes will be delivered and that the goal is for all schools designated as shelters to be emptied by September or October for the start of the school year.
Financing: request for frozen assets abroad
To finance this plan, which is estimated at least 25,000 homes, the presidency of Venezuela has sent communications to the King of England and other foreign governments requesting the release of frozen Venezuelan gold and assets.
The goal is to channel these resources into a direct fund for reconstruction and the activation of a credit portfolio with up to 80% subsidy for the acquisition of homes.
Number of victims updated
The president of the National Assembly updated the number of victims of the tragedy, reporting 4,333 deceased and 16,740 injured.
Thanks to the deployment of more than 31,000 personnel and 29,000 volunteers, 6,462 people were rescued from under the rubble.
In terms of hospital care, Rodríguez reported that 91% of the injured people admitted have already been discharged. Currently, there are 94 temporary camps (40 in Caracas, 28 in La Guaira, and 26 in Miranda) that are sheltering more than 18,000 people in dignified conditions, with 24-hour medical care.
Rodríguez added that the number of people without homes, which is currently almost 18,000, “will surely increase” as the inspection process of the buildings that suffered damage progresses. “We have to hurry up and resolve the housing issue,” he said, as many schools and educational centers are serving as temporary camps.
Response to media and opinion leaders
During the Q&A session, Rodríguez denied that rubble is being dumped into the sea, as some social media posts have accused. The 1,280,000 tons of accumulated debris will be processed with international technology to be reused, possibly in the expansion of the runway at Maiquetía Airport.
He also reported that there are 315 unidentified victims (7% of the total), for whom DNA tests, dental records, and photos have been taken so that their families can carry out the mourning and burial process in an orderly manner, and denied the existence of mass graves for victims of the earthquakes.
“The national government reaffirms its commitment to overcome the tragedy by becoming better than what we were,” he said, adding that the government is focusing all state resources on housing reconstruction and the safety of the people.
Venezuela: State Response to the Earthquakes in the First 72 Hours
Undersea cable damaged, internet at 50% capacity
As a consequence of the double earthquake, the undersea fiber optic cable that connects Venezuela to the international network was damaged. Therefore, currently, the internet service capacity in the country is approximately 50%.
This was reported on Thursday, July 9, by the National Telecommunications Commission (CONATEL). The damage has led to intermittent connections, slow browsing speed, delays in video calls and video games, as well as increased congestion during peak hours.
CONATEL recommended “making a conscious and rational use of the network to help ensure communications, especially emergency ones.”
(Últimas Noticias) with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/SC/DZ
