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General Francis L. Donovan, commander of the United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), visited Venezuela on Monday to oversee the military humanitarian assistance operations deployed following the devastating earthquakes on June 24.
During his visit, Donovan was accompanied by the Chargé d'Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Caracas, John M. Barrett, with whom he inspected the search, rescue, and aid distribution efforts carried out by U.S. forces in coordination with the Department of State, reported Southcom on X.
In a statement, the U.S. Embassy characterized the operation as an "unprecedented" deployment and asserted that U.S. military personnel are working "day and night to provide vital assistance" to the affected communities, emphasizing that the mission reflects "President Donald Trump's firm commitment" to the emergency.
The earthquakes with magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, recorded just 39 seconds apart on June 24, devastated northern Venezuela and caused severe damage in states such as La Guaira, Carabobo, and Aragua, as well as affecting large areas of Caracas.
According to the latest official report, the tragedy has left 3,535 dead, 16,740 injured, and more than 17,800 people homeless, while recovery efforts continue. International organizations warn that the number of missing persons could be much higher than what the Venezuelan authorities have acknowledged.
The U.S. operation mobilized nearly 2,000 personnel from various branches of the Armed Forces, in the largest humanitarian mission carried out by Washington on Venezuelan territory in decades.
Among the main units deployed are the 3rd Battalion of the 2nd Marine Regiment, part of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, and the Joint Task Force-Bravo, which specializes in disaster response operations.
The amphibious ship USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD-28), which arrived at the port of La Guaira on June 27, serves as a logistical hub for the storage and distribution of humanitarian aid. From there, vessels depart to transport food, water, medicine, and other supplies to the most affected areas.
The mission has also seen the addition of more than 300 American specialists in urban search and rescue, hailing from teams in Miami-Dade, the city of Miami, Los Angeles, and Fairfax County.
Washington has also raised its financial commitment to the emergency to over 300 million dollars, double the assistance announced in the days immediately following the disaster.
Donovan's visit comes in the context of unprecedented bilateral cooperation in recent years, following the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between Washington and Caracas in early 2026.
At the end of the inspection, Barrett stated that "under President Trump's leadership, the United States is leading the largest international response to an earthquake in modern Venezuelan history," emphasizing the scale of the humanitarian operation deployed in the South American country.
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