Venezuelan President Thanks Israel for Earthquake Aid and Rescue Expertise

Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez publicly expressed gratitude to Israel on Friday for sending a skilled aid delegation to assist after the devastating earthquakes that caused widespread destruction and thousands of casualties, including tens of thousands missing. She highlighted that the Israeli experts arrived through connections with Venezuela's Jewish community and immediately began implementing protocols to assess infrastructure damage and determine if survivors or bodies remain trapped, a critical step before reconstruction can proceed. Rodriguez noted the delegation has already met with Venezuelan authorities to coordinate efforts.

This acknowledgment is notable given Venezuela's historically strong anti-Israel stance, especially under former President Hugo Chavez. Rodriguez’s welcoming of international aid, including from the Trump administration and regional allies, marks a significant shift from past responses, such as the 1999 floods when Chavez rejected U.S. assistance. She specifically praised former U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for their ongoing support.

The Israeli mission includes Foreign Ministry representatives and engineering professionals from the Home Front Command and the National Emergency Authority, working closely with Venezuelan counterparts and adapting to evolving needs on the ground. Concurrently, a rescue team from the international ZAKA organization is deployed to bolster local emergency and rescue operations. ZAKA’s logistics unit has prepared advanced rescue and detection equipment, lighting systems, generators, communication gear, and self-sufficient field accommodations to enable sustained independent operations in challenging conditions.

The 1999 floods in Venezuela caused catastrophic damage, burying neighborhoods under mud and sweeping entire towns into the ocean, with up to 10% of Vargas state’s population perishing. Rodriguez’s public thanks to Israel, despite the absence of diplomatic relations, signals potential future changes in Venezuela’s foreign policy and international cooperation.