The United States has announced a major humanitarian response to the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela, committing $150 million in emergency assistance and deploying military assets to support rescue and relief operations.
The aid package follows two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude that struck near Venezuela’s Caribbean coast on Wednesday, causing widespread destruction, collapsing buildings, damaging the country’s main airport, and leaving at least 188 people dead.
In a statement on Thursday, the U.S. Southern Command said it was dispatching military personnel and equipment to support search-and-rescue efforts and assist U.S. government agencies responding to the disaster.
The deployment includes the amphibious transport ship USS Fort Lauderdale, the littoral combat ship USS Billings (LCS 15), as well as C-17 Globemaster and C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. Helicopters will also be used to facilitate relief operations and deliver emergency supplies.
According to the military, the assets will help rescue teams assess damage, locate survivors, and provide life-saving assistance in the affected areas.
Earlier, the U.S. State Department announced that the $150 million aid package would comprise $50 million in direct bilateral assistance for humanitarian organizations already operating in Venezuela, alongside a $100 million contribution to a United Nations humanitarian fund dedicated to the country.
The funding will support relief efforts by organizations including World Vision, Samaritan’s Purse, Catholic Relief Services, International Medical Corps, the International Organization for Migration, and the World Food Programme.
The United States is also deploying a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) and two urban search-and-rescue units from Fairfax County, Virginia, and Los Angeles County, California, to assist local authorities in rescue operations.
Speaking during a visit to Bahrain, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington was mounting a comprehensive response to the disaster.
“We have a whole-of-government response. It’ll be big, it’ll be fast, and it’ll be effective,” Rubio said, adding that the U.S. military would play a significant logistical role in delivering humanitarian assistance.
State Department officials said the United States is coordinating with Venezuela’s interim authorities, international aid organizations, and private-sector partners to assess urgent needs and ensure the rapid delivery of assistance during the critical early stages of the disaster response.
The U.S. intervention comes amid improving diplomatic relations between Washington and Caracas following recent political developments that saw the establishment of an interim government led by Delcy Rodriguez.
The United States joins a growing international coalition responding to the disaster. Countries including Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, and Cuba have also pledged rescue personnel, medical teams, aircraft, and humanitarian supplies to support Venezuela’s recovery efforts.
