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A message of solidarity directed at the Venezuelan people following the devastating earthquakes that shook the country was published this Thursday on the official account of Nicolás Maduro, who remains confined in a federal prison in New York.
The text, shared on his social media and dated in New York, is the fourth public message issued by the former president since his imprisonment on January 3, 2026, when he was captured in Caracas by U.S. special forces and taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
Maduro's full message
The statement, addressed to the "beloved people of Venezuela", begins with an invocation alongside his wife Cilia Flores, who is also detained and accused in the same case:
"Beloved people of Venezuela: in the face of the powerful earthquake that has struck our homeland, Cilia and I raise our prayers for every affected family, for the injured, for those who suffer, and for our entire people. Today, the message is clear: maximum unity, maximum solidarity, and maximum action."
Subsequently, Maduro urged that no Venezuelan be left helpless in the face of the catastrophe:
"May no one be left alone, may each community take care of its children, its elders, and its sick, and may we all support the work of the rescue teams, PNB, FANB, civil protection, doctors, firefighters, workers, and volunteers."
In the central part of the text, the former leader appealed for unity as a collective response to the tragedy:
"In this difficult hour, we call for national unity, serenity, and concrete love: to help, protect, share, uplift, and rebuild. Venezuela has faced great trials, and we will emerge from this one as well, strong, with faith, discipline, and solidarity."
The message concluded with a religious invocation: "Our hearts and prayers are with you. May God bless and protect Venezuela!"
In the comments section of the post, the opinions were very diverse: from those who said they felt supported by Maduro's words to those who claimed that Nicolás Maduro Guerra, the son of the imprisoned former leader, is the one managing the social media account.
The tragedy that inspired the message
The two earthquakes -of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5- took place on Wednesday with only 39 seconds apart, with epicenters in the state of Yaracuy.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the most intense is the strongest earthquake recorded in Venezuela since 1900, with a depth of only 10 kilometers that significantly amplified its impact.
The state of La Guaira was declared a "disaster zone" by the interim president Delcy Rodríguez, who described the situation harshly:
"The state of La Guaira is a true tragedy. There are dozens of collapsed buildings, and we are currently engaged in very challenging rescue efforts to save the lives that God allows us to save."
In Caracas, buildings collapsed in the neighborhoods of Los Palos Grandes, Altamira, and Chacao, including the 14-story residential building Petunia and at least one 22-story tower in Altamira.
Maiquetía International Airport, the Caracas Metro, and the Tuy Valley Railway remain closed due to structural damage.
The earthquakes were felt even in the Amazon region of Brazil, about 1,700 kilometers from Caracas.
The international response and the silence of Cuba
The response from the international community was swift.
Rodríguez publicly thanked U.S. President Donald Trump, whose administration announced the dispatch of search and rescue equipment, medical supplies, and humanitarian assistance.
Support was also confirmed from the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Qatar, Panama, Ecuador, Colombia, the United Kingdom, Brazil, and Mexico.
Notably, Cuba -a historical ally of chavismo for decades- did not appear among the countries mentioned by Rodríguez when he thanked international solidarity, according to the official report of the tragedy.
The USGS issued its Red Alert —the highest level— and estimated with a 42% probability that the final death toll could range between 10,000 and 100,000 people, although these are automatic probabilistic projections, not actual counts.
Venezuelan authorities warned that the number of victims could continue to rise as rescue efforts progress.
As of the time of this report, there are at least 164 dead and 971 injured, while searches are underway for people trapped under the rubble.
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