Help Venezuela rebuild: relief for families after the earthquake
My name is Miguel Fernández. Many of you know me. I'm from Caracas, Venezuela. On the 24th of June, the north-central region of my home country was struck by two massive earthquakes, the strongest in over a century, with magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, followed by several aftershocks over the next 24 hours.
The early figures are devastating: hundreds confirmed dead, thousands injured, and tens of thousands still missing. As rescue efforts continue, led by countless volunteers, due to the lack of response from the Venezuelan regime, risking their own safety to search through the rubble, these numbers keep rising.
An estimated 6.7 million people could be affected countrywide (United Nations). Hundreds of buildings have collapsed, with the coastal state of La Guaira the hardest hit.
Thankfully, my family is safe. But as you may know, I have been living in exile for seven years, as a direct consequence of the very humanitarian crisis my country was already enduring. From here, I feel called to activate the international network I've built over these years.
The crisis behind the earthquake
- Nearly 8M Venezuelans had already fled — over a quarter of the population (UNHCR)
- ~8M of those who stayed already needed humanitarian aid (UN OCHA)
- 70%+ of health centres already lacked medical staff (UN OHCHR)
- 9 in 10 households already lived with constant power cuts (ENCOVI)
- 5M+ already had no access to safe drinking water (UNICEF)
What happened in Venezuela is a catastrophe, and not only because of the earthquakes themselves. Venezuela was already enduring one of the worst humanitarian crises ever recorded in the region, long before the earthquake.
Nearly 8 million Venezuelans had already fled the country, more than a quarter of the population (UNHCR). Of those who stayed, almost 8 million were already in need of humanitarian aid (UN OCHA). More than 70% of health centres already lacked medical staff, and hospital infrastructure was already failing (UN OHCHR). Nine in ten households were already living with constant power cuts (ENCOVI national survey), and more than 5 million people already had no access to safe drinking water (UNICEF).
So imagine the scale of this disaster, falling on people who were already suffering so much.
Here is what I am asking of you: to prepare a medium-term relief.
Right now, the world is mobilising to save lives, and that is wonderful. There are funds and people racing to pull survivors from the rubble. But after the emergency has passed, millions will be left alone, having lost their loved ones, their homes, and their means to survive. We can help people rebuild their homes, their livelihoods, and a little of their dignity and hope.
Target = 30,000€
Equal to rebuilding one home, repairing 3 homes, a basic wardrobe for 37 families, or feeding 50 families for a month.
Where to donate and why
Caritas International: through its network across the country and decades of presence, Caritas has one of the broadest reaches of any organisation in Venezuela, and is already running dozens of local collection and distribution centres in the affected areas. It is transparent, well-established, and based in Germany.
Why not the UN and other multilaterals
Venezuela was already suffering a deep humanitarian and political crisis before the earthquake. The corruption cases related to the Venezuelan regime are grotesque, unprecedented, and one of the main causes of the prior crisis. Due to this level of corruption, the country was not prepared for an emergency of this magnitude. Official Venezuelan institutions are simply not to be trusted.
When you donate to a multilateral organization, resources are deployed through official governmental channels. Donating to such organizations could further fuel the repressive machinery of the regime and its corrupt behavior.
The evidence is clear: the government took more than 48 hours to authorize international rescue teams to enter the country. During those first 48 hours, there was no official rescue deployment, no army or national guard, and no machinery. Only volunteers, neighbors, and families searching for their loved ones.
Furthermore, the government actively closed down collection centers from opposition parties, even though they have a national structure willing to help. They also stopped voluntary aid through arbitrary bureaucratic procedures and traffic controls.
Call to action:
I've met so many wonderful, generous people in my years abroad, and I know that you care. So let's make this collection a big one. And if you can't give money, please get in touch and let's put your skills and goodwill to work. Alongside the campaign, with the help of many, we'll organise charity events such as concerts and sports meetups.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
Miguel — miguel@venrelief.org