THE MIND OF THE PEOPLE – The Venezuelan government officially declared a national emergency status after the country was rocked by two large earthquakes on Wednesday 24 June 2026 local time. This decision was taken following the widespread impact of the disaster which caused damage to various important facilities, including the country’s main airport.
The announcement of the emergency status was made directly by the Acting President of Venezuela, Delcy RodrÃguez, who said the situation in a number of regions required fast and coordinated handling. This step was taken to speed up the government’s response as well as facilitate the mobilization of aid for affected areas.
Based on reports from the United States Geological Survey, Venezuela was rocked by two large earthquakes with magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5. The epicenter of the earthquake was recorded at around 16 kilometers from the town of Moron and 24 kilometers from San Felipe.
“We declared a state of national emergency, as provided for in our constitution,” Rodriguez said in a video address delivered on Wednesday evening local time.
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The impact of the earthquake was reported to be quite extensive. One of the facilities that was seriously affected was Maiquetia International Airport, which is the main gateway for Venezuela’s international flights. The airport was forced to stop all operations after experiencing damage which was considered quite serious.
According to Rodriguez, a number of areas experienced significant levels of damage. In the capital Caracas, several buildings reportedly collapsed and suffered structural damage. Meanwhile, the Miranda and La Guaira areas were also the areas most affected by the earthquake shocks.
“A number of regions were reported to be very badly affected. In the capital Caracas, buildings collapsed in various areas. The states of Miranda and La Guaira also experienced significant damage… including the regions of Aragua, Carabobo and Falcon,” explained Rodriguez.
Apart from the main earthquake, seismic activity is still ongoing. The government recorded at least 20 aftershocks occurring in the hours after the two major shocks, raising public concern about the potential for further damage.
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In the midst of an emergency situation, Venezuela claims to receive support and solidarity from various countries. Rodriguez expressed his appreciation to a number of governments who immediately contacted Caracas after the disaster occurred.
“I want to thank governments around the world who immediately contacted Venezuela after the earthquake struck to express their solidarity and support,” he said.
Several countries said to have offered assistance include the United States, Panama, Qatar, Cuba, Nicaragua, Turkey, Jordan, Colombia, Barbados, England, Brazil and Mexico.
Not only that, a number of representatives from the United Nations and international financial institutions have also reportedly communicated with the Venezuelan government to offer humanitarian assistance and post-disaster recovery support.
Until now, Venezuelan authorities are still assessing damage and monitoring developments in the situation on the ground. The government’s main focus at the moment is ensuring the safety of citizens, speeding up evacuations in affected areas, and restoring vital infrastructure damaged by one of the largest earthquakes to rock the country in recent years.***
