The United States government offered assistance to Venezuela on Wednesday after two major earthquakes struck near the country’s northern coast. Venezuelan officials reported at least 32 people were killed and 700 injured, prompting the government to declare a state of emergency.
The earthquakes, which the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recorded at magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, caused building collapses in the capital, Caracas.
In a post on the social media platform Truth Social, U.S. President Donald Trump said he had instructed government agencies to prepare a response. “The U.S. stands ready, willing, and able to help,” Trump stated.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau confirmed that U.S. officials were in contact with Venezuelan authorities. A senior State Department official, Jeremy Lewin, also announced that a disaster assistance team had been mobilized to coordinate the delivery of search and rescue teams, medical supplies, and other humanitarian resources.
In a national address, Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, declared a state of emergency following the seismic events. The casualty figures of 32 dead and 700 injured were reported by Reuters, citing Rodriguez.
The USGS issued two consecutive red alerts through its PAGER system, an automated system that estimates the impact of earthquakes. The agency’s projections indicated that economic consequences could reduce Venezuela’s GDP by up to 7%.
The U.S. offer of assistance comes after a U.S. military intervention in January, which followed the seizure of then-president Nicolas Maduro and resulted in Washington exerting control over Venezuela’s oil exports.
Data from the Council on Foreign Relations shows that the estimated value of U.S.-controlled Venezuelan oil exports rose from $600 million in January to $3.7 billion in April. Venezuela is located in a seismically active region where the Caribbean and South American tectonic plates meet.
