855 buildings damaged
Search and rescue operations continue at full speed, with thousands of rescuers from more than 30 countries continuing to pull survivors from the debris, but as the days go by, the hope of those who have loved ones buried in the rubble fades away.
Rodriguez also said the government is in talks with the US State Department and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to mobilise resources for rebuilding infrastructure damaged by the earthquakes.
She added that discussions are also underway with the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank, which have offered grants as well as credit facilities to support the country’s recovery efforts.
According to Rodriguez, the earthquakes damaged at least 855 buildings.
She said authorities have allocated an initial $200 million for reconstruction and opened a dedicated account at the CAF-Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean to receive international donations for housing projects.
Rodriguez also announced the arrival of a team of Israeli specialists to help assess damaged buildings and support infrastructure recovery efforts.
Preliminary assessments based on the UN Development Programme’s Rapid Digital Analysis (RADIDA) estimate damage to homes, businesses, and other assets at approximately $6.7 billion, she said.
Government estimates indicate that around 12,800 people lost their homes, while the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has recorded about 16,000 people displaced by the earthquakes.
Rodriguez also noted that Brazilian Defense Minister Jose Mucio visited Venezuela earlier this week to discuss expanding humanitarian cooperation and reconstruction assistance.
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Venezuela thanks 31 nations, including Türkiye
She expressed gratitude to the 31 countries, including Türkiye, that have provided rescue teams and humanitarian assistance in the wake of last week’s devastating twin earthquakes.
“The joint response from 31 countries, alongside Venezuelan rescue groups, has shown us that we are not alone,” Rodriguez wrote on X.
“Before all those who have come risking their lives to save others, pain turns to gratitude. Venezuela will remember this solidarity forever!”
Türkiye has deployed search-and-rescue teams, medical personnel, humanitarian aid, and specialised equipment to support operations in the hardest-hit areas.
Turkish Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu said on Thursday that the country’s National Medical Rescue Team and fully equipped emergency response units had been dispatched to Venezuela’s Yaracuy region.
Türkiye’s National Defense Ministry said two Turkish Air Force A400M military transport aircraft last week delivered search-and-rescue personnel to Venezuela, including disaster search and rescue teams from the Turkish Armed Forces Humanitarian Aid Brigade, working alongside personnel from Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).
Turkish teams continue search-and-rescue operations in the earthquake zone, said National Defense Ministry spokesman Rear Adm. Zeki Akturk, also extending condolences to those who lost loved ones and wishing the injured swift recoveries.
In a separate statement, the ministry said Turkish search-and-rescue teams and rescue dogs are continuing “round-the-clock operations” in difficult conditions to locate survivors trapped beneath the rubble.
“The helping hand of the Turkish nation bridges distances, reaching wherever it is needed,” the ministry said.
Türkiye has also provided humanitarian assistance through the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), which delivered approximately 1,000 aid packages to communities affected by the earthquakes.
According to Turkish officials, the country’s mission in Venezuela currently includes 75 personnel, five search-and-rescue vehicles, and six rescue dogs.
