First 80-ton batch of Chinese humanitarian aid arrives in Venezuela after earthquakes

The first 80-ton shipment of emergency aid from China arrived at Simón Bolívar Airport in Maiquetía on Monday, following the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning confirmed the cargo includes generators, water purifiers, tents, and blankets, part of a 100-million-yuan ($14 million) aid package announced on June 29. The aid also includes $300,000 from the Red Cross Society of China and satellite imagery of affected areas. At least seven Chinese citizens were confirmed dead in the quakes. The two tremors, magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, hit Caracas and six northern states, with La Guaira most affected. Official figures report 3,535 dead, 16,740 injured, and 17,854 homeless, along with 856 damaged buildings and 190 collapsed structures. Venezuela's Foreign Minister Yván Gil and Chinese Ambassador Lan Hu received the aid at the airport.