The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, has sent a message of support and closeness to the Venezuelan people this Thursday after the two earthquakes, both of magnitude greater than 7 on the Richter scale, which have caused at least 32 deaths and more than 700 injured in the country.
Although he remains imprisoned in the United States since his detention on January 3 during a US military operation, Maduro has appealed for "national unity, serenity, and love" in "this difficult hour," as he stated in a statement released through social networks.
"Beloved people of Venezuela: in the face of the powerful earthquake that has struck our homeland, Cilia (Flores) and I raise our prayers for every affected family, for the injured, for those who suffer, and for all our people," he indicated, referring to his wife, who is also in custody.
"Today, the word is one: maximum unity, maximum solidarity, and maximum action. Let no one be left alone, let each community take care of its children, its grandparents, its sick, and let us all accompany the work of the rescue teams," he affirmed in his message.
In this regard, he stressed the need to "help, protect, share, lift up, and rebuild." "Venezuela has faced great trials, and we will emerge from this one strong too, with faith, discipline, and solidarity. Our hearts and our prayers are with you. May God bless and protect Venezuela!" he concluded.
Meanwhile, Venezuelan authorities have warned that the initial death toll does not yet include data from the state of La Guaira, described as a "disaster zone" where "dozens of buildings have collapsed."