Government recognizes rescue personnel as recovery continues after the June 24 twin earthquakes.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez on Saturday awarded the Hero of Venezuela medal to emergency responders, public servants and members of the Bolivarian National Armed Force (FANB) for their role in rescuing survivors and leading recovery efforts after the twin earthquakes that struck the country on June 24.
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The ceremony honored personnel from state institutions, security agencies and emergency services who took part in search-and-rescue operations, humanitarian assistance and reconstruction work in the aftermath of the disaster.
Rodríguez said the response demonstrated the country’s ability to act in unity despite the scale of the emergency, while accusing international actors of spreading disinformation during the crisis.
“There is a people here, there is a government and there is a state,” she said, describing the response as evidence of Venezuela’s institutional capacity and national solidarity.
Text Reads: Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, led the ceremony in which members of state institutions, the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, and officials who assisted the population affected by the June 24 earthquakes received the “Heroes and Heroines of Venezuela” medal.
During the event, the president denounced international disinformation campaigns launched in the context of the earthquake disaster and emphasized that the country demonstrated unity and a capacity to respond: “Here we have a people, here we have a government, and here we have a state.”
Rodríguez praised rescue teams that searched for survivors before shifting to reconstruction work, highlighting the efforts of personnel who delivered food, supported temporary camps and remained deployed in affected communities.
She also recognized the personal sacrifices made by public servants, noting that some responders lost family members in the earthquakes but continued assisting affected residents.
According to the latest official figures, emergency operations rescued 6,462 people alive from collapsed buildings and high-risk areas, as well as 349 pets. Medical teams treated 58,863 patients, while 37,786 people had been discharged in the weeks following the earthquakes.
Authorities said 548,872 tons of humanitarian supplies have been distributed across the affected areas as recovery efforts continue.
International support included humanitarian aid and specialized rescue teams from 46 countries and 20 international organizations. A total of 2,278 rescuers, assisted by 33 search-and-rescue dogs and 41 operational and logistical vehicles, participated in relief operations.
Through international air and maritime humanitarian corridors, Venezuela received 9,920 tons of emergency aid for affected communities.
Reconstruction and Diplomacy
Delcy Rodríguez said the government’s recovery plan goes beyond clearing debris and seeks to rebuild communities, highlighting the solidarity shown by volunteers who traveled to La Guaira, the region identified as the hardest hit by the twin earthquakes.
She also praised coordination among different levels of government during the emergency, specifically thanking Chacao Mayor Gustavo Duque and Sucre Mayor Diógenes Lara for their cooperation from the earliest stages of the crisis. She said the joint response demonstrated that authorities could work together toward a shared objective.
In remarks on foreign affairs, Rodríguez announced the start of a process to restore consular relations with Chile as a step toward rebuilding broader bilateral ties. She thanked the Chilean president for his public remarks and said Venezuela would work to advance an agenda of cooperation, friendship and South American diplomacy.
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