Starlink offers free internet in Venezuela after devastating earthquakes

Starlink, the satellite internet service owned by SpaceX, has announced free internet access in areas of Venezuela affected by the devastating earthquakes of June 24. The service will be available until July 25 for both new and existing customers in impacted zones Source: lavozar; portafolioco. The move aims to restore communications amid widespread infrastructure damage.

How the free service works

• Existing active customers receive the credit automatically. Those with cancelled subscriptions will also get a credit to reactivate Source: elnacionalve.
• New customers must contact Starlink support after purchasing equipment. Users with damaged hardware can request a free replacement Source: infobae.
• Starlink is also rapidly deploying additional terminals to the hardest-hit areas Source: portafolioco.

The free service is particularly critical as power and telecom outages persist across Caracas, La Guaira, and other regions Source: lavozar.

Conflicting casualty figures

Sources report widely different death tolls. Lavozar cites 920 fatalities and 3,300 injured, attributed to National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez Source: lavozar. Elnacionalve and Elcolombiano report 589 dead and 2,980 injured, citing acting president Delcy Rodríguez Source: elnacionalve; elcolombiano. Portafolioco claims 235 dead and over 4,300 injured Source: portafolioco. Missing persons estimates also vary, from 39,000 Source: portafolioco to over 50,000 Source: elcolombiano.

Reaction and impact

Local authorities in Chacao municipality have set up Starlink antennas in public squares as emergency connectivity hubs Source: lavozar; infobae. The opposition leader María Corina Machado has called for the release of political prisoners to allow family reunions during the crisis Source: elcolombiano.