Caracas Vigil to Honor Earthquake Victims and Support Families

In Caracas, diverse civil society organizations have called for a public vigil titled "Una Luz por Venezuela" (A Light for Venezuela) to commemorate the victims of the double earthquake that struck on June 24. The event, scheduled for Sunday, July 5, also aims to express support for the families devastated by the natural disaster in the country's northern region.

The organizing committee has designated the Rectorate Plaza of the Central University of Venezuela (UCV) as the meeting point starting at 4:00 p.m. Participants are encouraged to bring white candles and flowers, symbolic elements representing respect, humanity, and freedom. Organizers stated that the seismic event profoundly altered the social and economic landscape for thousands of Venezuelan households, causing loss of life, destroying homes, and leaving many individuals unaccounted for.

Despite the devastation, the emergency has also spurred a collective mobilization for mutual assistance. The vigil's timing is significant, coinciding with the 215th anniversary of Venezuela's Declaration of Independence. This historical context underscores the organizers' intent to foster institutional reflection on the value of public freedoms in protecting human lives, reuniting families, and rebuilding national infrastructure through solidarity.

The commemoration will include the coordinated lighting of candles in memory of those who perished and those whose whereabouts remain unknown. Tributes will also be extended to national and international rescue brigades, field medics, and volunteers working in the disaster zones along the central coast and in the capital region. The event will also feature a statement of solidarity regarding the situation of political prisoners in Venezuela and the call for their reunification with their families. Organizers are also using the occasion to collect humanitarian aid, urging attendees to bring donations for university collection centers.