Peru shares satellite images with Venezuela for earthquake damage assessment

Peru has extended a hand of solidarity to Venezuela by providing satellite imagery to assist in the aftermath of devastating earthquakes. The Peruvian Space Agency (Conida) shared images captured by the PerúSAT-1 satellite, offering a crucial tool for evaluating the damage and coordinating emergency response efforts, primarily in the heavily impacted state of La Guaira.

Conida stated on social media that the images were "made available and delivered" to the Bolivarian Agency for Space Activities (ABAE). The agency emphasized that "solidarity knows no borders" and that space technology is being placed "at the service of life, cooperation, and the integration of our peoples." The shared images vividly illustrate the stark contrast between areas before and after the seismic events struck Venezuela's coastal region.

The PerúSAT-1 satellite, launched in September 2016, operates at an altitude of 702.5 kilometers and captures submetric resolution images. These are vital for disaster management, monitoring illicit activities, and overseeing public works. Although the satellite is nearing the end of its operational life, with plans for PerúSAT-2 within two years, its current capabilities are proving invaluable.

This technological assistance complements other aid efforts, including a Peruvian Air Force flight carrying over 14 tons of humanitarian supplies to Caracas and a deployment of an Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team from the Volunteer Firefighters. These Peruvian volunteers have been actively working in collapsed structures in Caraballeda, La Guaira, where they successfully rescued a 60-year-old woman from rubble with the help of Salvadoran specialists.

Notably, this humanitarian gesture occurs despite the rupture of diplomatic relations between Peru and Venezuela since July 2024, following Peru's denunciation of irregularities in Venezuela's presidential elections. Peru hosts the second-largest Venezuelan migrant and refugee community, numbering around 1.6 million people.