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Delcy Rodríguez, the acting president of Venezuela, revealed this Thursday that her government is in discussions with the U.S. Department of State and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to "recover resources" aimed at reconstructing the infrastructure destroyed by the devastating earthquakes on June 24.
The announcement represents an unprecedented diplomatic shift for chavismo, which has historically rejected both U.S. interference and the conditions of the IMF.
Venezuela severed operational relations with that organization in 2019 when access to 400 million dollars in special drawing rights was denied.
At a press conference, Rodríguez also noted that the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank "have already offered non-reimbursable cooperation to support the recovery process," in addition to credit lines for the country.
The interim government created an initial fund equivalent to 200 million dollars and opened an account at CAF - Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean to receive international donations for housing, with "all auditing mechanisms," as specified by the president.
Rodríguez also reported the recent arrival of an Israeli team described as "very specialized and professional" to assess the condition of the damaged buildings and support infrastructure recovery.
The official balance at the close of this Thursday counts at least 2,595 dead and 12,400 injured, with 855 buildings affected by the earthquakes.
However, these figures contrast with much more alarming international estimates: the United States Geological Survey (USGS) calculated a 42% probability that the final death toll could be between 10,000 and 100,000 people, while the UN estimates that up to 50,000 people may be missing under the rubble.
NASA reported nearly 59,000 damaged or destroyed buildings, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) estimates the damage to homes and economic assets at 6.7 billion dollars, equivalent to approximately 6% of Venezuela's GDP, according to a satellite assessment.
About 12,800 people have lost their homes according to the government itself, while the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) documents 16,000 citizens who had to seek alternative housing.
The seismic doublet with magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 occurred just 39 seconds apart in the state of Yaracuy, with its epicenter near San Felipe and Morón, and is considered the most powerful recorded in Venezuela since 1900.
The most affected areas were La Guaira, Caracas, and the Capital District.
The approach to Washington and the IMF occurs in an exceptional political context: Maduro was captured in January 2026, and Rodríguez's interim government received international recognition in April of that same year, which radically transformed the relations between Venezuela and the West.
The Minister of Defense of Brazil, José Múcio, visited Venezuela on Tuesday to enhance humanitarian cooperation and explore potential initiatives related to infrastructure and housing reconstruction.
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