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Panama Mayor Denounces Diversion of Humanitarian Aid to Venezuela

From El Nacional · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Panama's Mayor of Panama City reported that humanitarian aid sent to La Guaira, Venezuela, was diverted to Maturín.
  • Mayor Mayer Mizrachi stated he used tracking technology, specifically Apple AirTags, to locate the misplaced donations.
  • The diverted aid raises concerns about transparency and delivery to earthquake-affected regions in Venezuela.

Humanitarian aid dispatched from Panama to Venezuela has reportedly been rerouted to Maturín, a city in Venezuela's Monagas state, far from the earthquake-stricken areas of La Guaira. Panama City Mayor Mayer Mizrachi publicly denounced the diversion, revealing that his office had equipped the aid packages with Apple AirTags. These tracking devices allowed them to pinpoint the cargo's location in Maturín.

With a little technology, we can know that the donations from all of Panama are arriving in Venezuela.

— Mayer MizrachiMayor of Panama City, explaining how he tracked the diverted aid.

Mizrachi emphasized the significant effort and solidarity shown by Panamanians, including people from all socioeconomic backgrounds, who contributed to the aid. He expressed frustration that this "arduous work" and "sacrifice" had not reached the intended earthquake victims. The mayor explained that the AirTags were strategically placed within the donation boxes to ensure transparency and verify that the aid reached those in need.

I put AirTags on them. The work done here was so arduous. The donations, the effort, the sacrifice, the volunteers among Panamanians, Venezuelans, rich, poor, mothers, children, grandparents, everyone in Panama was moved and sympathized with their brother in Venezuela.

— Mayer MizrachiDescribing the effort behind the donations and his frustration with their misplacement.

The tracking system indicated the donations were in Maturín, approximately 400 kilometers from La Guaira. While some earthquake survivors have been relocated to Maturín, it remains unclear if this explains the aid's presence there. The report also notes that affected families have been moved to various other Venezuelan states, including Sucre, Apure, Barinas, Anzoátegui, and Delta Amacuro.

The objective of installing the devices was to guarantee the traceability of the donations and verify that the aid effectively reached the affected.

— Mayer MizrachiStating the purpose behind using tracking devices on the aid.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Nacional in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.