Venezuela offers Colombia rescue teams and humanitarian aid after earthquake

Venezuela has extended an offer of assistance to Colombia, proposing to send rescue personnel and humanitarian aid in the wake of a powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck the neighboring country. The tremor, which occurred Monday morning, has so far claimed the lives of at least 51 people.

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The Venezuelan government, through bilateral cooperation mechanisms and civil protection agencies, places at the disposal of the Colombian Government a group of rescuers and necessary humanitarian aid within the framework of full respect for its sovereignty and self-determination.

In an official statement, the Venezuelan government conveyed its "deepest solidarity and fraternity" with the Colombian people and President Abelardo de la Espriella's administration. The statement, published on social media by Foreign Minister Félix Plasencia, emphasized that Venezuela, through its cooperation mechanisms and civil protection bodies, places rescue teams and necessary humanitarian aid at Colombia's disposal. This offer is made "within the framework of full respect for its sovereignty and self-determination."

The Venezuelan executive also extended its "most heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims" and wished for a "prompt recovery for the injured and the affected areas." The earthquake's epicenter was located in San José del Palmar, within the Chocó department, one of Colombia's poorest regions, which reportedly lacks sufficient resources to manage an emergency of this magnitude. The seismic event was strongly felt across much of central and western Colombia.

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Faced with this adversity that affects our Colombian brothers, Venezuela expresses solidarity with the families of the victims and with all those who have suffered damage and material losses. We reaffirm our commitment to the bonds of brotherhood, cooperation, and Latin American unity that unite us as neighboring peoples.

Venezuelan authorities are also monitoring the earthquake's impact on the Venezuelan states of Táchira and Zulia, which share a border with Colombia. This offer of aid comes as Venezuela itself is still recovering from two significant earthquakes in late June, which resulted in over 6,125 deaths, more than 16,700 injuries, and substantial material damage estimated by the World Bank at $19.6 billion.

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most heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and wished for a 'prompt recovery for the injured and the affected areas.'