Cuban doctors in Venezuela out of danger after the devastating earthquakes

MINSAP confirmed that the Cuban health collaborators in Venezuela are out of danger following the earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 that resulted in 164 deaths.



Rescues in Venezuela after earthquakesPhoto © X/@Defensagob

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The Ministry of Public Health of Cuba (MINSAP) confirmed this Thursday that all Cuban health collaborators deployed in Venezuela are out of danger following the two earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 that shook the northern part of the country on Wednesday, just 39 seconds apart.

According to the informative note published by MINSAP, the Cuban Minister of Public Health, Dr. José Ángel Portal Miranda, immediately contacted the Cuban Medical Mission in Venezuela upon hearing the news of the earthquakes.

The mission's leadership successfully established contact with the teams working in the 24 states where Cuba has collaborators, and all reported that they are safe.

Additionally, the statement notes that many of these professionals joined the assistance efforts from the very beginning to support the affected Venezuelan population.

"The collaborators of the Cuban Medical Mission in Venezuela reaffirm their commitment to the health and well-being of the people amidst the difficult situation that this sister nation is facing," states the official text from MINSAP.

The Cuban Medical Mission in Venezuela is the largest health cooperation initiative launched by Cuba worldwide, with approximately 12,930 collaborators spread throughout Venezuelan territory, according to official data from July 2025.

The earthquakes on Wednesday, with epicenters in the state of Yaracuy and the Yumare area, are the strongest recorded in Venezuela since 1900, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The disaster has resulted in up to this Thursday 164 dead and 971 injured, according to the official report from the acting president Delcy Rodríguez, who declared La Guaira a disaster zone due to the collapse of dozens of buildings.

In Caracas, the 14-story Petunia residential building collapsed, along with at least one 22-story tower in the Altamira area, while more than 90 structures were affected in the state of Miranda.

The USGS issued a Red Alert—its highest level—and its impact estimation system calculated a 42% probability of between 10,000 and 100,000 potential fatalities, although these are automatic projections, not actual counts.

Among the countries that offered international aid to Venezuela are the United States, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Qatar, Panama, Ecuador, Colombia, the United Kingdom, Brazil, and Mexico. Cuba was not mentioned in that list, despite having thousands of collaborators on the ground.

Delcy Rodríguez publicly thanked President Donald Trump and his administration for the support provided, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the immediate shipment of search and rescue equipment, medical supplies, and humanitarian assistance to Venezuela.

The Cuban medical mission in Venezuela had already gone through a turbulent phase at the end of 2025 and the beginning of 2026, when Cuba began a gradual repatriation of personnel following the fall of Nicolás Maduro's government.

In January 2026, the brigade resumed its medical duties in Caracas, and in March of that year two Cuban doctors passed away in Venezuela under circumstances that prompted their families to voice their concerns.

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CiberCuba Editorial Team

A team of journalists committed to reporting on Cuban current affairs and topics of global interest. At CiberCuba, we work to deliver truthful news and critical analysis.

CiberCuba Editorial Team

A team of journalists committed to reporting on Cuban current affairs and topics of global interest. At CiberCuba, we work to deliver truthful news and critical analysis.