Mexico deployed a rescue contingent in Venezuela on Friday to assist in the search for survivors following the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes that struck the northern part of the country on Wednesday, June 24, resulting in at least 920 deaths.
The president Claudia Sheinbaum announced the operation during her morning conference this Friday and detailed its scope: "There are 250 military personnel who arrived, 18 dogs, and two representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We also sent medical supplies, tools, and equipment. They were received last night by authorities in Venezuela. They started unloading; there are three planes, and this morning very early, they began rescue operations; they have been assigned an area and are engaged in the rescue efforts."
The group, named Agrupamiento Yomare, consists of military personnel from the National Defense Secretariat (Sedena) specialized in emergencies, along with 18 trained canine pairs skilled in locating individuals under collapsed structures.
The three aircraft with personnel and supplies landed in Venezuela on the night of Thursday, June 25, and from the early hours of this Friday, the brigades have been operating in the area designated by local authorities.
Two officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs joined the military and medical teams to strengthen diplomatic coordination between both governments.
Sheinbaum also reported that she scheduled a call with the acting president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, to assess additional needs: "Today, after La Mañanera, I have a call with the acting president of Venezuela to see what else they need and what support we can provide."
The earthquakes on June 24 — the strongest recorded in Venezuela since 1900, according to the United States Geological Survey — had their epicenter in the state of Yaracuy and caused particularly severe devastation in La Guaira and Greater Caracas, an area declared a natural disaster zone.
The official balance at the close of this Friday is now 920 dead, 3,360 injured and 157 missing, with more than 200 people still trapped under rubble and at least 346 buildings collapsed or severely damaged.
The international response to the disaster is massive. President Donald Trump authorized 150 million dollars in humanitarian assistance and deployed two specialized urban search and rescue teams with nearly 80 experts each, in addition to helicopters and military aircraft.
El Salvador sent 300 personnel; Spain deployed its Military Emergency Unit alongside a field hospital. In total, more than a thousand rescuers from 16 countries are participating in the relief operations.
The UN estimates that 6.76 million people are affected by service interruptions, infrastructure damage, and displacement risk, making this disaster one of the most serious in Venezuela's recent history.
Filed under: