Venezuelan Consulates in Spain Activate After Earthquakes, Appeal for Calm

Venezuelan diplomatic missions in Spain have mobilized to assist the diaspora after a pair of devastating earthquakes struck Venezuela, causing widespread damage and casualties. The Embassy in Madrid and five consulates are providing information and helping locate missing relatives. The consulate in Galicia, covering Asturias and León, is open 24 hours to offer official updates and counter misinformation. Source: infobae

Consular response

• The Embassy expressed condolences and activated all consulates to provide official information and coordinate with authorities in Venezuela to locate family members. Source: elnacionalve, lavanguardia
• Contact numbers were released for Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao, Vigo, and the Canary Islands. Source: infobae (EFE)
• Consul Martín Pacheco urged Venezuelans to "mantener la calma" and only trust official channels, advising against relying on social media. Source: infobae

Diaspora anguish

Many Venezuelans in Spain spent sleepless nights trying to reach loved ones. Adriana Rubial in Barcelona described not sleeping, waiting for WhatsApp messages. Source: lavanguardia Ronald D. eventually learned his daughter escaped a 15-story building in Chacao, but the building is damaged and she remains in the street. Source: lavanguardia Andreina still had not heard from her uncle in La Guaira hours after the quake. Source: lavanguardia