Newly appointed minister Garcés leads the commission that is evaluating the affected homes. Photo: Últimas Noticias.
By Eligio Rojas – Jul 6, 2026
Universities are being called upon to contribute to upcoming recovery plans.
The reconstruction of the areas affected by the two earthquakes of June 24 requires the input of international groups. This assessment was made by Francisco Garcés during an interview on the program Abriendo Puertas (Opening Doors), broadcast yesterday on Venevisión.
Garcés, a structural engineer, heads the Presidential Commission for the Evaluation of Housing and Infrastructure Habitability. Yesterday, he was appointed minister of transportation.
During his appearance on the program, Garcés stated that all academies and universities in Venezuela are invited to contribute to the reconstruction plans for the areas devastated by the two earthquakes. “International experts are also invited to work and provide input. In fact, a team of colleagues from Stanford University [located in California, USA] is here working with us,” he added.
Speaking specifically about the reconstruction in La Guaira, Garcés stated that given the scale of the problem, “we will necessarily need international teams working with us here.”
Garcés was asked if they already had an estimate of the number of homes to be built to assist those affected by the June 24 earthquakes. “For me, it would be premature, and any number I give you could be very far off. The truth is, there are thousands. Thousands of homes. There will be a special plan for this,” he replied.
But in addition to building new homes, Garcés said that mechanisms must be established for the rehabilitation of those buildings that were not completely destroyed. “Rehabilitation involves detailed engineering processes that require in-depth analysis and must be carried out by certified personnel. A crack in a column is not a simple matter,” he explained.
Garcés said that the commission he chairs is part of the international protocols for assessing the condition of the infrastructure. In that regard, he explained that the Venezuelan government has a system to assess the condition of a given structure after an earthquake. This technical guide was developed by the Venezuelan Foundation for Seismological Research (Funvisis) and the Central University of Venezuela.
“This tool establishes three possible structural conditions and assigns three colors: green, yellow, and red. Like a traffic light,” he commented. Homes with minor damage (a crack in the wall) are assigned the color yellow, and those without damage are assigned the color green. The color red is reserved for homes that are damaged and whose stability is at risk, Garcés concluded.
Return Venezuela’s Stolen Wealth for Full Quake Recovery (Statement)
Featured image: Garcés leads the commission that is evaluating the affected homes. Photo: Últimas Noticias.
(Últimas Noticias) by Eligio Rojas
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/CB/SL
Cameron Baillie is an award-winning journalist, editor, and researcher. He won and was shortlisted for awards across Britain and Ireland. He is Editor-in-Chief of New Sociological Perspectives graduate journal and Commissioning Editor at The Student Intifada newsletter. He spent the first half of 2025 living, working, and writing in Ecuador. He does news translation and proofreading work with The Orinoco Tribune.
