The United States has announced the deployment of military assets and a $150 million humanitarian aid package to support relief efforts in Venezuela following two powerful earthquakes that have killed at least 188 people and caused widespread destruction.
The back-to-back earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, struck near Venezuela’s Caribbean coast on Wednesday, bringing down buildings, damaging the country’s main airport and raising fears that the death toll could rise significantly as rescue operations continue.
In a statement on Thursday, the US Southern Command said it would deploy forces to assist search-and-rescue operations and support US 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 military transport aircraft to deliver personnel, equipment and emergency supplies.
The US State Department also unveiled a $150 million emergency assistance package, comprising $50 million in new bilateral funding for humanitarian organisations already operating in Venezuela and an additional $100 million contribution to a United Nations humanitarian fund for the country.
According to the department, the funding will support aid agencies including World Vision, Samaritan’s Purse, Catholic Relief Services, International Medical Corps, the International Organization for Migration and the World Food Program.
Washington is also dispatching a Disaster Assistance Response Team alongside two urban search-and-rescue units from Fairfax County, Virginia, and Los Angeles County, California, to reinforce emergency response efforts.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking during a visit to Bahrain, said the United States 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 told reporters, adding that the US military would play “a big logistical role” in delivering aid.
State Department officials said the United States is coordinating closely with Venezuela’s interim authorities, humanitarian partners and private-sector organisations to assess the country’s most urgent needs and accelerate the delivery of life-saving assistance during the critical early stages of the emergency.
The relief operation comes amid improving diplomatic relations between Washington and Caracas following the capture of former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro by US forces in January and the Trump administration’s subsequent engagement with the interim government led by Delcy Rodriguez.
Several countries, including Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Chile and Cuba, have also pledged support by providing rescue teams, medical personnel, aircraft and humanitarian supplies.
