Brussels plans to provide an additional 20 million euros for humanitarian aid to Venezuela

Brussels.- The European Commission plans to allocate up to 20 million euros in additional humanitarian aid to Venezuela following the double earthquake that struck the country on June 24, with a latest toll of 4,734 dead and 16,740 injured.

The Community Executive announced this Wednesday that the first 10 million euros will be dedicated to assisting the communities most affected by the earthquakes, while the remaining 10 million -pending approval by the Budgetary Authority- will be allocated to support search and rescue operations and medical teams.

Read more: More than 10,700 people remain in 79 camps after earthquakes in Venezuela

The European Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, stated that the new funding will help provide food, drinking water, medicine, and shelter to the affected families.

“Venezuela may be on the other side of the ocean, but the Venezuelan people are very present in our hearts. Since the first hours after the earthquakes, the European Union has supported them,” Lahbib conveyed in a statement.

This new financial aid is in addition to the 5 million euros already approved at the end of June and the 52 million euros sent at the beginning of the year “to respond to the humanitarian consequences of the socioeconomic crisis” in the country, according to the Commission.

In addition, the Community Executive recalled that two EU-funded flights have already transported nearly 80 tons of essential supplies as part of the Humanitarian Air Bridge launched in June.

Added to this is the mobilization of nearly 750 professionals and experts within the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, as well as rescue teams, medicines, and shelters from 18 countries and a satellite telecommunications platform.

The announcement coincides with Commissioner Lahbib’s visit to Venezuela, who will be in Caracas this Thursday to meet with EU-funded partners and local authorities, as well as one of the European medical teams deployed on the ground.