The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, has conveyed to the acting president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, the support and closeness of Spain following the "devastating earthquakes" that have shaken the Caribbean country, reiterating furthermore the Executive's willingness to provide aid in this emergency situation.
"I have just spoken with Delcy Rodríguez following the devastating earthquakes that have struck Venezuela," Sánchez stated in a message published on the social network 'X', specifying that he conveyed to her "Spain's solidarity with the Venezuelan people and our affection for the victims and their families."
The head of the Executive stressed that "Spain is prepared to help" and gave as an example that "today a plane is departing with two urban search and rescue teams from the UME and ERICAM," the emergency team of the Community of Madrid, to collaborate in the work on the ground.
According to sources from the Ministry of Defense, 57 UME personnel will travel on that plane, which has not yet taken off, including rescuers from the USAR unit, eight specialized canine units, and two engineers from the Army.
To this operation, Sánchez added, "AECID personnel are also traveling to assess the needs on the ground." The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has further specified that the aircraft is carrying "first aid items such as blankets, mats, or water purification tablets" to support the emergency response.
"The Government is working to provide all possible assistance to the Spanish community in Venezuela," the president concluded, referring to the significant community of Spanish nationals residing in the Latin American country.
For his part, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, indicated that 68 Spaniards remain unaccounted for following the earthquakes in Venezuela, where a community of about 200,000 Spaniards lives, and reported that the Consulate in Caracas has suffered "damage of considerable magnitude" as a consequence of the tremors.