05/07/2026 21:04 - Internacionales
On June 24, 2026, two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude struck the northern coast of Venezuela, leaving an unprecedented trail of destruction. According to the latest official report released on July 5, the confirmed death toll rose to 3,342 people, with more than 16,700 injured and an estimated 50,000 to 70,000 missing according to United Nations projections.
For our international readers, La Guaira is a coastal state and major port city in Venezuela, located just north of the capital, Caracas. It was one of the areas most severely impacted by the seismic activity due to its proximity to the epicenter and its dense urban infrastructure.
Twelve days after the tragedy, hope persists. Captain Gordillo, an Argentine rescue brigade member, revealed that there are indications that 19 people could be alive under one of the buildings in La Guaira. Teams from France, Mexico, Venezuela, and Argentina are working in the area after detecting cell phone signals and tapping sounds.
Additionally, Argentine and Vietnamese rescuers are searching for Vice Admiral Gustavo Romero Matamoros, the police chief of La Guaira, who is trapped in the Oasis Beach building in Playa Grande. It is believed he communicates late at night using Morse code.
Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno highlighted that Argentina has been the second country with the largest presence during the initial rescue phase. A second group of brigade members from the Argentine provinces of Córdoba and Santa Fe departed to the Caribbean nation to relieve the deployed teams. For her part, the acting President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, decorated and bid farewell to rescuers from nearly 30 countries, thanking them for the international collaboration.
However, as the chances of finding survivors diminish, most of the 3,681 international rescuers from 30 countries have begun their return, leaving only about 25 operational teams. The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued warnings about possible disease outbreaks in the territory, elevating the need for mask usage due to both infection risks and debris management.
The tragedy unfolds in a complex political context. Delcy Rodríguez, who has served as interim president for six months following the capture of former leader Nicolás Maduro by the United States, announced a $200 million reconstruction package and ruled out a "social outbreak." On the 215th anniversary of Venezuela's Independence, Maduro sent a message from prison asking for prayer and solidarity.
Meanwhile, opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado participated in a mass in Panama and sent a message to the Venezuelan people, assuring that "intact convictions" prevail in "these hours of infinite pain."
Alfredo S. Quiroga
