Argentina offers humanitarian aid to Venezuela after deadly earthquakes

Argentina has offered humanitarian assistance to Venezuela following two powerful earthquakes that struck the country's northern coast on Wednesday, leaving hundreds dead and injured. At least 164 to 188 people died and nearly 1,000 to 1,520 were injured, according to conflicting official reports. Source: Infobae citing Delcy Rodríguez Source: La Voz del Interior

The disaster

Two earthquakes of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 hit just 39 seconds apart, a rare "doublet seismic" event. The hardest-hit area was the coastal state of La Guaira, where at least ten buildings collapsed in Greater Caracas and the region was declared a disaster zone. Source: Infobae

Argentina's response

Chancellor Pablo Quirno spoke with his Venezuelan counterpart Yván Gil, expressing solidarity and willingness to send aid. "Acabo de comunicarme con el Canciller de Venezuela, Yván Gil, a quien le expresé… la disposición de proveer asistencia humanitaria," Quirno posted on X. Source: La Voz del Interior The government has assembled an interministerial team to inventory available resources, including specialized rescue personnel. Quirno also said Argentina is coordinating with the United States and other countries. Source: Infobae

Despite the lack of a consular office in Venezuela, Argentina plans to send a consular team to assist its citizens and has activated contact channels for Argentines in the country. The President's office released a statement emphasizing that solidarity goes "beyond the differences that may exist between our governments." Source: Infobae

Discrepancies in casualty figures

Official figures diverge: Delcy Rodríguez reported 164 dead and 971 injured, while La Voz del Interior cited 188 dead and 1,520 injured. The cause of the discrepancy is unclear; both may be preliminary counts. Source: Infobae Source: La Voz del Interior