US Deploys Warships to Venezuela, Pledges Rp 2.6 Trillion in Earthquake Aid

The United States has announced it will deploy two warships, several transport aircraft, and helicopters to assist with earthquake relief efforts in Venezuela. Washington has also pledged US$150 million, equivalent to Rp 2.6 trillion, in aid to the authorities in Caracas. The substantial US assistance follows two powerful, successive earthquakes measuring Magnitude 7.2 and Magnitude 7.5 that struck Venezuela, specifically near the Caribbean coast, on Wednesday (24/6) local time. The two major quakes, described by the US Geological Survey as a ‘doublet’ earthquake phenomenon, caused numerous buildings to collapse, damaged Venezuela’s main airport, and sparked fears of a high death toll. Authorities in Caracas have so far announced at least 235 people have been killed, with more than 1,500 others injured. At least 200 more people are reported to still be trapped in the rubble of collapsed buildings. The US military’s Southern Command, in a statement, announced that its forces would provide support for search and rescue teams in Venezuela. US inter-agency partners will also be deployed in efforts to ‘assess damage, locate the injured, and deliver critical, life-saving aid’. The US forces to be deployed to Venezuela include the amphibious transport dock USS Fort Lauderdale and the littoral combat ship USS Billings, as well as C-17 Globemaster and C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. The US Department of State separately announced an aid package including a new bilateral grant of US$50 million for aid groups already operating in Venezuela, and a US$100 million contribution to the United Nations humanitarian fund for the country. According to the State Department, the funds will support various organisations, including World Vision, Samaritan’s Purse, Catholic Relief Services, International Medical Corps, the International Organization for Migration, and the World Food Programme. Washington is also deploying a Disaster Assistance Response Team and two specialist urban search and rescue units from Fairfax County, Virginia, and Los Angeles County, California. ‘We are implementing a whole-of-government response. This response will be large-scale, swift, and effective,’ said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a visit to Bahrain. Rubio added that the US military would play a ‘major logistical role’ in the earthquake relief operation for Venezuela. State Department officials said Washington is coordinating with Venezuelan authorities, humanitarian aid partners, and the private sector to assess needs and deliver aid in the critical period following the earthquake. The US move comes amid improving relations between Washington and Caracas in recent months, following the arrest of former President Nicolas Maduro by American military forces in January.