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The Cuban Conference of Catholic Bishops (COCC) sent an official letter this Thursday to the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference to express its solidarity following the devastating twin earthquakes that struck the northern part of the country on Wednesday, June 24, resulting in at least 164 deaths and 971 injuries according to the official report.
The document, published on the Cuban Church's website, was signed by Arturo González Amador, bishop of Santa Clara and president of the COCC, and by Eloy Ricardo Domínguez Martínez, auxiliary bishop of Havana and general secretary of the organization.
The letter is addressed to Archbishops Jesús González de Zárate (Valencia and President of the Episcopal Conference of Venezuela), Raúl Biord Castillo (Caracas), and José Antonio Da Conceição Ferreira (Puerto Cabello and Secretary General of the CEV).
"With concern and shock, we have learned of the strong earthquake that struck yesterday in several areas of Western Venezuela and in the capital of the country," the text states.
Cuban bishops described images of damaged buildings, homes, and temples, expressing that they can "imagine the pain, sadness, and moments of insecurity and uncertainty" experienced by the Venezuelan population.
"Our prayers are raised, in particular, for the deceased, their family and friends," adds the letter.
The message concludes with an invocation to the patroness of Venezuela: "May Our Lady of Coromoto accompany and comfort the Venezuelan people, especially those who have seen their loved ones, their serenity, and their possessions affected by this disaster they have endured."
The two earthquakes —with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5— occurred on Wednesday just 39 seconds apart, during the national holiday for the Battle of Carabobo.
The epicenter of the first one was located near San Felipe, in the state of Yaracuy, and the second in Yumare, both at shallow depths, which amplified the damage across a wide area in the north of the country.
In Caracas, several buildings collapsed, including the 14-story Petunia residential building and a 22-story tower in Altamira, as more than 30 aftershocks were recorded following the main earthquakes.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) issued a Red Alert and estimated between 10,000 and 100,000 possible fatalities in an automated projection, although it clarified that this is not a real count of victims.
The Cuban letter joins a wave of solidarity from the international Catholic Church: the episcopal conferences of Spain and Argentina also sent messages to the CEV, while U.S. President Donald Trump offered aid to Venezuela and deployed search and rescue teams.
The website of the Cuban Church captured the spirit of the message with a phrase accompanying the publication of the letter: "Faith unites us, charity supports us, and hope drives us toward a better future."
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