US Marine general arrives in Venezuela to oversee earthquake aid

A double earthquake in Venezuela has left at least 235 dead, triggering an international response led by the United States. Major General Kevin J. Jarrard, the highest-ranking Marine in the U.S. Southern Command (Southcom), arrived in Caracas on Thursday to coordinate American assistance. The deployment follows a formal request from Venezuela's interim government headed by Delcy Rodríguez Source: elnacionalveSource: excelsiormx.

US relief operations

Jarrard is working with local partners to plan, coordinate, and direct U.S. military operations focused on saving lives and delivering humanitarian aid. U.S. forces will use fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft for specialized transport, damage assessment, and supply delivery Source: elnacionalve. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he mobilized the Department of Defense under President Donald Trump's orders to support the State Department in aiding Venezuela Source: excelsiormx.

International support

Beyond U.S. assistance, 188 rescue workers from El Salvador and teams from Mexico have arrived, according to Delcy Rodríguez Source: elnacionalve. TeleSur reported supplies and rescuers from Chile, while VTV noted 80 Swiss rescuers with 18 tons of aid landing at El Libertador Air Base in Aragua state Source: excelsiormx. The hardest-hit area is La Guaira state, where rescue efforts continue with heavy machinery. Power outages persist and Caracas's main airport remains closed due to damage Source: excelsiormx.