Effects of the earthquake in Venezuela. Photo: File photo.
Xi extends condolences over deadly earthquakes in Venezuela
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday sent a message of condolences to Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodriguez over the strong earthquakes that rocked the country.
Upon learning that the powerful earthquakes have caused heavy casualties and significant property losses, Xi, on behalf of the Chinese government and the Chinese people, mourned those killed in the earthquakes and expressed sincere sympathy to the bereaved families and those injured.
China, Xi said, stands ready to provide assistance to Venezuela in disaster relief and reconstruction.
He also expressed confidence that under the leadership of the Venezuelan government, the Venezuelan people will overcome the disaster and rebuild their homes at an early date.
China to offer additional aid to quake-hit Venezuela
China has decided to offer additional aid to Venezuela for post-quake relief and reconstruction, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said here on Monday.
The additional emergency material assistance is worth 100 million yuan (about 14.67 million U.S. dollars), following the cash assistance that has already been provided, spokesperson Guo Jiakun made the remarks at a daily press briefing.
Chinese firms in Venezuela mobilize relief efforts after powerful quakes
Several Chinese-funded enterprises in Venezuela have mobilized relief efforts after two powerful earthquakes struck the country, Xinhua learned Friday from the Chinese Embassy in Venezuela.
The companies responded quickly to the disaster and, under the guidance of the Chinese Embassy, coordinated with local Chinese communities and business associations to take part in relief work, according to the embassy.
Their efforts included providing heavy machinery and medical supplies and deploying rescue teams, the embassy said, adding that the companies are contributing to the disaster response through concrete action.
The Chinese government and the Red Cross Society of China will provide emergency humanitarian aid to Venezuela respectively, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a regular press briefing on Friday.
Guo emphasized that China stands ready to provide further support to Venezuela as the situation unfolds.
Overseas Chinese in Venezuela donate 500 tons of quake relief supplies
Overseas Chinese in quake-hit Venezuela have donated about 500 tons of relief supplies, according to the Chinese Embassy in Venezuela.
The supplies were donated by the Federation of Chinese Associations in Venezuela and other Chinese community groups as of 4 p.m. local time (2000 GMT) Saturday.
The supplies, including bottled water, biscuits, diapers, milk, rice, sugar and fish, have benefited nearly 10,000 families affected by the disaster.
Two consecutive quakes, measuring magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, hit Venezuela on Wednesday.
The death toll from the earthquakes has risen to 1,430, Venezuelan National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said Saturday.
Amid rubble and aftershocks, Venezuelan rescuer puts Chinese-trained skills to work
“I am deeply saddened by the disaster in Venezuela, but I take some comfort in knowing that I can use the skills my Chinese mentors taught me to help my compatriots,” said Pitney Delgado on Friday, his eyes red after more than 50 hours of continuous work.
Two powerful earthquakes above magnitude 7 struck Venezuela on Wednesday evening. Venezuelan officials said Friday that the death toll had risen to 1,430.
Delgado, who works at a Chinese restaurant in Caracas, recalled that when the first quake hit, the kitchen stoves were still burning as the ground suddenly began to shake violently.
“My first reaction was to get everyone to open space. I left without taking anything. I just shouted: ‘Go, go quickly!’” he said.
He urged colleagues to evacuate and only returned to retrieve essential belongings after ensuring everyone had reached safety during a brief pause in the shaking. “My instinct was not to save my own things, but to get them out first,” he said.
Delgado said years of working with Chinese colleagues had left him with a lasting impression of their “warm hearts,” strengthening his willingness to help others in times of crisis.
That commitment was reinforced by a practical skill: more than a decade ago, while working at a Chinese company, he learned to operate heavy machinery under Chinese mentors.
“They are my compatriots. How could I stand by and do nothing?” he said, tears streaming down his face.
He first met Jiang Wangbing, now president of the China-Venezuela Chamber of Commerce, in 2015, when he began learning crane operation.
“It was a huge machine weighing dozens of tons,” Delgado said. “At first I was nervous. One mistake could damage property or hurt someone.”
With patient and standardized instruction, he said he mastered basic crane operations within a week. “The training was very focused. They wanted you to learn everything,” he said.
After the earthquakes, the China-Venezuela Chamber of Commerce quickly mobilized cranes and heavy machinery for rescue operations at collapsed buildings. Delgado joined without hesitation.
He said he could not stop working after seeing on social media people digging through rubble with their bare hands. “Without machines, how could we clear the debris?” he said. “It would be impossible.”
Equipment remained scarce and had to be rotated among multiple sites. By the time of the interview, more than 50 hours had passed since the earthquakes, and Delgado had not rested, having already worked at three collapsed sites.
With his help, seven people were rescued. Two were confirmed alive after treatment, while five did not survive.
“It is a pity we could not save the other five,” he said, covering his face as he cried.
Asked about working under dangerous conditions, he said: “There were aftershocks and unstable structures. Of course, I was afraid. But when I thought people might still be trapped, I could not stop.”
“As long as I am needed here, as long as there are still people to rescue, I will keep working,” he said.
After a brief interview, Delgado returned to the collapsed site. The engine roared again as the crane arm slowly lifted.
Jiang said the chamber had deployed two cranes and one demolition machine for round-the-clock rescue operations. Under the coordination of the Chinese Embassy in Venezuela, it was also gathering supplies from Chinese-funded enterprises, with lighting equipment and excavators to be added.
Following the earthquakes, several Chinese-funded companies in Venezuela launched relief efforts and coordinated with the embassy and local associations to provide machinery, medical supplies, and rescue teams.
Viet Nam deploys military disaster relief team to earthquake-hit Venezuela
The Ministry of National Defence of Viet Nam has decided to deploy an 82-member military humanitarian and disaster relief team to Venezuela to support search and rescue operations and post-earthquake recovery efforts following the devastating earthquakes that struck the South American country on June 24.
The deployment comes after two deadly earthquakes caused severe casualties and widespread damage in Venezuela. To support relief efforts, the Viet Nam People’s Army has established a humanitarian assistance mission comprising command personnel, a military engineering search-and-rescue unit, medical personnel, and a canine search-and-rescue unit.
During the mission, the Vietnamese force will use search dogs to locate victims trapped under collapsed structures, conduct urban search-and-rescue operations, provide emergency medical assistance to survivors, and carry out other humanitarian tasks to help Venezuelan authorities and local communities recover from the disaster.
Logistical preparations have also been completed. According to the General Department of Logistics-Technical Services under the ministry, relief supplies, including food, drinking water, medicines and equipment, were assembled, inspected and packed on the morning of June 28.
The military-run joint stock Company 22 mobilised its workforce to operate around the clock, producing 50 tonnes of compressed ration bars, three tonnes of canned meat and 3,000 litres of clean water for the relief mission. The supplies have been transported by Brigade 971 to Noi Bai International Airport for loading and shipment to Venezuela as scheduled.
The relief shipment carries not only essential supplies but also the solidarity and goodwill of the Vietnamese people toward those affected by the disaster. Viet Nam had sent search and rescue teams to Turkey in 2023 and Myanmar in 2025.
Ministry assigns mission to military relief team heading to earthquake-hit Venezuela
The Ministry of National Defence held a meeting in Ha Noi on June 28 to assign tasks for the force tasked with supporting relief operations in Venezuela following the devastating earthquakes that struck the South American country on June 24.
Accordingly, an 82-member military contingent was assigned to carry out humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations in Venezuela, marking Viet Nam’s third overseas military deployment for international disaster response.
Addressing the event, General Nguyen Tan Cuong, Chief of the General Staff of the Viet Nam People’s Army (VPA) and Deputy Minister of National Defence, stressed that the mission carries profound international significance, reflecting the Party and State’s foreign policy, and contributing to enhancing the country’s reputation in global disaster response and reaffirming the traditional friendship and comprehensive partnership between Viet Nam and Venezuela.
He noted that many members of the contingent had previously participated in earthquake relief missions in Türkiye in 2023 and Myanmar in 2025, where they demonstrated the professionalism and responsibility of the Viet Nam People’s Army, and left positive impressions on the international community.
Cuong praised relevant agencies and units for completing comprehensive preparations in personnel, equipment, logistics and organisation, while urging the team to maintain discipline, unity and determination in fulfilling the mission.
He stressed that the operation will be demanding and potentially dangerous, requiring close coordination with personnel from the Vietnamese People’s Public Security force, international rescue teams and Venezuelan authorities and people. He instructed the team to comply with local laws, ensure the safety of personnel and equipment, actively assist local communities within their capabilities, and uphold the image and traditions of the VPA throughout the mission.
Major General Pham Hai Chau, Deputy Director of the Department of Search and Rescue under the General Staff of the VPA, said preparations had been completed in coordination with relevant agencies.
The contingent comprises 82 personnel, including 26 officers and 56 professional servicemen, organised into four components, namely an 11-member command group led by Major General Pham Van Ty, Deputy Director of the Department of Search and Rescue; a 31-member engineering search-and-rescue team equipped with victim detection devices and concrete cutting equipment; a 30-member medical team carrying medical equipment, medicines and supplies; and a rescue team using trained search dogs consisting of 10 members and eight search dogs.
The mission will transport about 88 tonnes of equipment and relief supplies, including 50 compressed ration bars, 1,600 tents and 15 generators.
The cargo have been transported to Noi Bai International Airport under the direction of the ministry’s General Department of Logistics-Technical Services. Personnel, equipment and search dogs will travel by commercial aircraft from Noi Bai to Maiquetia International Airport near Caracas before continuing by road to the operational area with logistical support from the Office of the Vietnamese Defence Attaché in Venezuela.
The mission is expected to last around 20 days. During the deployment, the team will regularly report progress to the General Staff and the Ministry of National Defence for timely direction and coordination.
Viet Nam’s Ministry of Public Security deploys rescue team to VenezuelaThe Ministry of Public Security held a departure ceremony in Ha Noi on June 28 for a 41-member search and rescue team heading to Venezuela.
The deployment comes after the June 24 earthquake in Venezuela, which authorities reported caused severe human and property losses. By June 28, the disaster had claimed more than 1,400 lives, left over 50,000 missing, and caused extensive damage to homes and infrastructure.
Following instructions from Viet Nam’s Party and State leadership, the ministry decided to send a specialised team to support searching for missing victims, rescue and emergency response operations, and post-disaster recovery efforts.
Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Minister Senior Lieutenant General Le Van Tuyen said the deployment reflects not only humanitarian support but also international solidarity and the traditional friendship between Viet Nam and Venezuela.
The mission was organised jointly by the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of National Defence. Team members include specialists experienced in collapsed-structure search operations, emergency medical response, communications, logistics, and rescue command.
The delegation is also equipped with specialised rescue vehicles, search devices, medical supplies, and logistical support so operations can begin immediately upon arrival.
At the ceremony, Estela del Valle Quijada Suarez, Chargé d’Affaires of the Venezuelan Embassy in Viet Nam, expressed appreciation to Viet Nam’s Party, State, Government and Ministry of Public Security for the timely assistance, describing the mission as a symbol of friendship, solidarity, and mutual support between the two countries’ people during a difficult period.
Vietnam Airlines operates special flight carrying rescue teams, relief supplies to Venezuela
Viet Nam Airlines on June 29 operated a special flight transporting search-and-rescue and humanitarian assistance teams, equipment and relief supplies to Venezuela to support recovery efforts following the recent devastating earthquakes in the South American nation.
Flight VN66, using Airbus A350 aircraft, departed from Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi at 00:45 am on June 29. After a technical stop at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport in France, the flight continued its journey and is scheduled to arrive at Simon Bolivar International Airport in Caracas, Venezuela, at 12:10 pm local time on the same day.
The flight is carrying 124 personnel from the Ministry of National Defence and the Ministry of Public Security, along with 10 search-and-rescue dogs and approximately 25 tonnes of humanitarian supplies, specialised equipment and rescue gear to support relief operations in the earthquake-affected areas.
To ensure the timely deployment of the mission, Viet Nam Airlines mobilised extensive resources, including ground service personnel and a dedicated flight crew of 23 members. The national flag carrier also completed logistical preparations and flight clearance procedures within a short timeframe to meet the urgent requirements of the mission.
A representative of Viet Nam Airlines said each special flight demonstrates the carrier’s organisational capacity, sense of responsibility and commitment to serving the nation and the people, as well as its readiness to undertake international missions under both normal and extraordinary circumstances.
The airline noted that the allocation of aircraft and operational resources for the special mission may affect schedules on some regular routes in the coming days, potentially resulting in flight time adjustments or aircraft substitutions. It pledged to provide timely updates and assistance for passengers, ensure all customer rights and benefits are protected in accordance with regulations, and minimise any inconvenience caused by operational changes.
The carrier has previously undertaken a number of important humanitarian and evacuation missions. Most recently, it transported relief supplies to Myanmar and repatriated Vietnamese rescue personnel after they completed earthquake-response operations there in 2025. Earlier missions included evacuation flights for Vietnamese citizens from Ukraine in 2022, the transportation of Vietnamese workers from Libya in 2011 and 2014, and support for Vietnamese nationals in Japan following the devastating earthquake and tsunami in 2011.
