A major shipment containing thirty tons of critical humanitarian aid sent from Türkiye has officially arrived in Venezuela. The vital supplies were transported aboard two Turkish military cargo aircraft, which touched down at the Simon Bolivar International Airport to provide relief in the wake of the devastating twin earthquakes that recently struck the South American nation.
The arriving aid cargo was formally received on the tarmac by a delegation of high-ranking officials, including Türkiye's Ambassador to Venezuela, Naci Aydan Karamanoglu, and Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil. During the reception ceremony, Ambassador Karamanoglu emphasized that various Turkish state institutions had put forth immense effort to respond effectively to the natural disaster. He specifically praised the unwavering dedication of the Turkish search and rescue teams that had been deployed on the ground in the disaster zones for two consecutive weeks.
Ambassador Karamanoglu noted that both Venezuelan authorities and local citizens have spoken very highly of the professional and selfless nature of the Turkish teams' rescue operations. In his address, he expressed sincere gratitude to the personnel representing the Turkish Armed Forces Humanitarian Aid Brigade, the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), the National Medical Rescue Team (UMKE), and the Turkish Red Crescent.
The ambassador also took a moment to reflect on the reciprocal nature of the relationship between the two countries, recalling that Venezuela had previously sent its own search and rescue teams to Türkiye following the catastrophic February 2023 earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaras. He noted that the same military aircraft tasked with bringing the Turkish rescue teams back home had successfully delivered this newest 30-ton aid package, which consists of 275 large tents provided by AFAD, specialized equipment for establishing temporary displacement camps, and nearly seven tons of essential medical supplies and medicines.
Foreign Minister Yvan Gil expressed deep gratitude on behalf of Acting President Delcy Rodriguez, thanking Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish government, and the Turkish people for their swift solidarity. Gil remarked that Türkiye was among the very first nations to extend a helping hand from the initial hours of the tragedy. He highlighted that Acting President Rodriguez had already awarded the prestigious Heroes of Venezuela Medal to the visiting rescue specialists, and noted that the arrival of this shipment marks a transition into the long-term reconstruction phase.
The current humanitarian crisis stems from a catastrophic seismic event recorded by the US Geological Survey, which reported that Venezuela was struck by two massive earthquakes measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 just 39 seconds apart on June 24. According to assessments from the UN Development Program, the rapid-succession quakes caused an estimated 6.7 billion dollars in direct physical damage, leaving search and rescue operations ongoing as officials fear casualties will continue to rise.
