Venezuela

Nearly 17,000 people have been injured, 6,500 rescued and 18,000 displaced, National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez said on Telegram

Venezuela and Japan were both rocked by powerful earthquakes on June 24, but why did one suffer widespread destruction while the other escaped with limited damage?

Black smoke from fires in flattened buildings and the smell of decomposing bodies spread across ruins Thursday, eight days after Venezuela's devastating earthquakes, while rescue teams pulled on a thread of hope that they might still find survivors trapped beneath the rubble. As officials carried body bags and stacked caskets in the port city of Catia La Mar, joy briefly broke through the pervading misery that has blanketed Venezuela's northern La Guaira on Thursday morning when rescue teams pulled a 43-year-old man out of the rubble he was buried under for nearly eight days. Rescuers from across the Americas had worked for about 100 hours to pull Hernan Alberto Gil Flores from the collapsed shopping mall under which he was buried. Trapped in an air pocket, he'd survived on the water and sustenance rescuers passed him through the rubble. He was pulled out of the ruins on a stretcher and was carried to an ambulance as throngs of people cheered in a rare moment of victory. Thousands

Private businesses are rushing to fill the void from the government's earthquake response, with construction, engineering and other firms deploying heavy machinery, supplies, food across the country

Authorities say rescue and relief operations are expanding as aftershocks subside, with thousands injured and displaced following last week's twin earthquakes

More than 22,000 people are receiving treatment and nearly 16,000 have been displaced following the devastating earthquakes that struck on June 24

Two powerful 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes struck within a minute of each other on Wednesday evening

The offshore tremor struck near Aragua days after twin earthquakes devastated parts of Venezuela, while rescue and recovery operations continued amid complaints of poor coordination

More than 1,600 foreign rescuers have joined search operations in the hardest-hit coastal areas as authorities race to find survivors amid hundreds of aftershocks

The toll from the back-to-back earthquakes that devastated Venezuela this week climbed Friday to at least 920 dead and 3,360 injured, authorities said. The new figures were announced by Jorge Rodriguez, the president of the country's National Assembly. The toll is likely to go higher as search-and-rescue operations continue. Many families say their loved ones are still buried under the rubble. "Each person saved is a miracle," Rodriguez said.

The natural disaster has killed at least 188 people and injured more than 1,500 others in a country where emergency response capacity is limited after years of political and economic turmoil

Acting Venezuela President Rodriguez said early Thursday there are at least 32 people dead and 700 injured after back-to-back powerful earthquakes struck the country Wednesday evening. She warned the toll was expected to rise as rescuers searched collapsed buildings and emergency crews reached devastated areas after the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes roiled the region. La Guaria apparently was the hardest hit state, she said. "Dozens of buildings have collapsed, and we are engaged in the arduous task of rescuing the lives that God allows us to save. The state of La Guaira is facing a true tragedy and has become a disaster zone," she said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressed sadness over the devastation caused by the earthquakes in Venezuela, and said India stands ready to extend all possible assistance to the Latin American country. Powerful earthquakes struck off the coast of Venezuela on Wednesday evening, leaving at least 32 people dead and 700 injured. "Deeply saddened by the devastation caused by the severe earthquakes in Venezuela. On behalf of the people of India, I extend our heartfelt condolences to the Government and people of Venezuela, especially to the families who have lost their loved ones," Modi said in a post on X. The prime minister said India prays for the speedy recovery of those injured and stand in solidarity with all those affected during this difficult time. "India stands ready to extend all possible assistance," he added.

Twin earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude struck near Caracas, triggering building collapses and emergency rescue efforts; USGS warns of widespread destruction and potential mass casualties

The US military attack in Venezuela Friday that killed the leader of the Tren de Aragua gang reflects a strategic shift by US President Donald Trump toward direct US involvement in the war on drugs that began earlier this year, with a special focus this time on gaining access to Venezuela's lucrative mining sector, analysts told The Associated Press. Trump announced Friday the death of gang leader Hector Rusthenford Guerrero in an airstrike on his compound in rural Venezuela. He has long accused Guerrero's organisation, also known as TDA, of terrorising communities across the United States, where it has been linked to extortion rackets, drug trafficking and illegal immigration. The group was listed as a foreign terrorist organization by the State Department last year, with federal prosecutors accusing Guerrero of shipping drugs to the U.S. and organizing acts of terror across borders, including the murder of a Venezuelan dissident in Chile. Venezuela's government said in a statement

President Donald Trump said Friday that a "swift and lethal kinetic" US strike has killed Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, whom he called "the infamous leader" of the Tren de Aragua gang. Tren de Aragua has been labelled by the United States as a terrorist organisation. Guerrero Flores was charged in a New York federal court with racketeering conspiracy and other crimes, including lending support to terrorists in crimes that stretched more than a decade, authorities announced in December.

Venezuela's return as a top crude supplier highlights how oil alone has shaped India-Venezuela trade, from a $14-billion peak to near-collapse and revival

Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri met Venezuela's Acting President Delcy Rodriguez in New Delhi on Thursday.In a post on X, Puri said that a technical team from India would soon visit Venezuela to study opportunities in the energy sector."Called on the Acting President of Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela HE @delcyrodriguezv today with the leadership of @PetroleumMin and CMDs of India's energy sector PSUs. India has a long-standing energy partnership with Venezuela since 2008 and shares unique complimentarities with the country. Venezuela possesses biggest proven reserves of oil in the world, while India not only possesses huge demand for energy but also has the technological expertise and manpower to refine Venezuelan crude in our refineries. Venezuela is already among the largest crude oil suppliers to India in April & May 2026, which is a reflection of the future potential. Our technical team will visit Venezuela soon to further explore this ...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodriguez discussed energy cooperation, critical minerals, pharmaceuticals and trade expansion

MEA had indicated that both sides are expected to review the entire spectrum of India-Venezuela relations and explore avenues to deepen cooperation in key sectors