The United Nations relief chief, Tom Fletcher, has called for the widespread solidarity shown to Venezuela after last month's deadly double earthquakes to be transformed into real, practical support for recovery efforts.
In a virtual briefing from Caracas on July 8, Fletcher emphasized that "people are in shock and despair; formal meetings are not enough," speaking alongside representatives from the UN, Brazil, Türkiye, the United States, Venezuela, and the European Commission.
According to the UN relief agency OCHA, the earthquakes have killed more than 3,500 people, injured at least 16,740 others, and resulted in 6,462 rescues. Fletcher provided an overview of ongoing post-quake efforts involving 200 partners across Member States and the UN system, noting that humanitarian needs remain significant as search and rescue operations wind down.
During a visit to the hard-hit area of La Guaira, Fletcher recounted that mothers asked him, "is help coming?" He stressed the importance of answering that question affirmatively, stating, "We have to show that we will answer the question from those mothers: help is coming. Let's demonstrate that global solidarity is as strong as ever and that we will stay the course."
Fletcher also recalled that teams from countries ranging from Israel to Mexico had rapidly mobilized in the critical early days following the disaster. While tonnes of lifesaving emergency supplies have arrived, he underscored the need for more sustained and coordinated support to aid recovery.
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