02/07/2026 15:04 - Internacionales
Thursday, July 2, 2026 - Hope shines in the midst of tragedy.
Eight days after devastating earthquakes of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 shook the Caribbean coast of Venezuela on June 24, 2026, stories of survival continue to emerge. This Thursday, a group of rescuers managed to free Hernán Gil, a 43-year-old security guard who had been trapped in the guardhouse of a collapsed building in Catia La Mar (a coastal city near the capital, Caracas). His rescue, after 114 hours of continuous work by the Red Cross and international teams, has become a symbol of resilience and faith. The man was transferred to receive medical attention and is reported to be doing well psychologically.
According to the latest official count cited by international media, the tragedy has left 2,295 dead and 11,267 injured. The United Nations (UN) estimates there are between 50,000 and 70,000 missing, while the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has documented 16,000 displaced people. The transition government, led by Delcy Rodríguez, has decreed seven days of national mourning.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the death toll is likely to increase considerably as search efforts transition to body recovery. This is compounded by a pre-existing health crisis, as it is estimated that before the earthquake, up to 37% of essential medicines were missing from hospitals.
General Francis Donovan, chief of the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM, the military body responsible for Latin American operations), reported that approximately 2,000 US troops are operating on land, air, and sea to support rescue efforts and supply delivery. The US Chargé d'Affaires in Caracas, John Barrett, highlighted that they are working closely with the transition government and have detected no issues in aid distribution, which now exceeds 2,000 tons sent by various countries.
Venezuela currently has the assistance of 4,099 foreign brigadiers, 153 search dogs, and 49 support vehicles. Mexico, for its part, announced the dispatch of a ship with additional aid, adding to the 250 specialized personnel and more than 71 tons of supplies already delivered, including emergency power plants.
Rescue efforts remain focused on finding missing persons, such as little Lucas Gámez, an 8-year-old Argentine boy. An entirely Argentine team, made up of military personnel, Buenos Aires firefighters, and members of the USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) network, has volunteered to search for him among the rubble of the Miramar building during their off-hours.
His mother, Blanca Martínez, managed to approach the ruins to shout to him: 'I'm here, don't give up,' keeping the flame of hope alive to find him alive.
Even an old McDonald's location in La Guaira was repurposed as an emergency hospital by volunteer surgeons, showing the ingenuity and solidarity in times of crisis.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
