The Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González has expressed this Wednesday his gratitude to the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, for the announcement of aid of one million euros destined for humanitarian assistance in Venezuela after the earthquakes of June 24, which have caused nearly 3,700 deaths, according to the latest report released by the authorities of the South American country.
In a message disseminated on social networks, González has valued the decision of the regional government, after holding a meeting with Ayuso on Tuesday at the Real Casa de Correos, headquarters of the Madrid Executive. "It is a concrete response that will allow urgent needs to be met and will contribute to the work that many humanitarian organizations and networks are carrying out on the ground," he praised.
Likewise, he has directed direct recognition to the head of the autonomous executive and to the citizens of Madrid. "To President Isabel Díaz Ayuso and to the people of Madrid, thank you for accompanying Venezuela with actions. In moments like this, solidarity is not measured by words, but by the ability to act when it is most needed," he pointed out. During the meeting with the regional president, he stated that he defended the need to "continue strengthening cooperation" with Venezuela.
González recalled that "from the first day of this tragedy we have worked to mobilize international support and build alliances to respond to the humanitarian emergency that Venezuela is experiencing," emphasizing that "each endorsement obtained represents an opportunity to assist the families who need it most today."
In this regard, he highlighted the importance of the meeting held on Tuesday with members of the Immediate Emergency and Response Team of the Community of Madrid (ERICAM), who intervened in search and rescue tasks after the earthquakes. In his opinion, this meeting "allowed us to understand from the experience of those who were there the true dimension of this catastrophe."
As he explained, "their testimonies describe the loss of lives, devastated communities, and the enormous effort made to rescue people from the rubble. They also speak of the dignity and strength with which Venezuelans have faced one of the most difficult hours in their recent history," he pointed out, also highlighting the "dedication, capacity, and commitment to life" of the ERICAM professionals.
González's message has been made public after Ayuso's announcement during her meeting at the Real Casa de Correos, prior to her participation in the tribute event organized by the regional government in Puerta del Sol in memory of the earthquake victims. The economic contribution will be directed towards actions between July and December, with the aim of covering urgent basic needs and improving access to health services for the affected population, with special attention to Caracas, La Guaira, and Greater Caracas.
González arrived in Spain in September 2024, after leaving Caracas on a Spanish Air Force plane, having stayed for more than a month in diplomatic facilities of the Netherlands. His departure occurred after his defeat against Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro in the elections of that year, elections marked by fraud allegations by the opposition.
Currently, the South American country is headed by Delcy Rodríguez, appointed acting president after the military operation launched in January by the United States against Caracas, which left more than a thousand dead and culminated in the detention of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, both subsequently transferred to US territory.