An Open Letter of Gratitude and Appeal to the Governments Supporting Venezuela’s Earthquake Relief 

July 8, 2026 

To all governments, international bodies, and institutions that have extended their hand to Venezuela: 

We write, as humanitarian organizations, Venezuelan and international civil society groups, and concerned citizens, to thank you. After the earthquakes of June 24, your rescue teams, medical personnel, and resources arrived when they were most needed, and at a moment when the country lacked the means to respond on its own, your solidarity has meant the difference between life and death. 

The hardest phase is only beginning. As the window to rescue survivors ends, the emergency turns into a longer effort: caring for the injured, sheltering displaced families, protecting children separated from their loved ones, and sustaining an already vulnerable population. This is the work not of days, but of months. 

These earthquakes take place in a country that was already experiencing a complex humanitarian emergency. While the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimated 7.9 million people in need, independent civil society organizations counted 12.4 million people with severe and critical humanitarian needs before the earthquakes hit. The dismantling of democratic institutions and grand corruption has left the country unable to respond to this crisis, and the Venezuelan people severely unprotected. The response from the Venezuelan authorities has been vastly insufficient, with public complaints of security bodies creating obstacles to access humanitarian aid and committing new abuses.   

In this context, and guided by recognized humanitarian principles, we respectfully ask the following, with one purpose: that the assistance already underway reach everyone in need as swiftly, safely, and equitably as possible. 

We respectfully call on you to use your good offices with the Venezuelan authorities to secure the following measures: 

1. Full transparency and public accountability over all humanitarian aid: the regular publication of what is received, its origin and purpose, its intended beneficiaries, and those responsible for its receipt, allocation, and distribution, together with independent verification that it reaches those for whom it is intended. 

2. An appropriate response from the authorities led by civilians and not by the military. The Bolivarian National Guard is a part of the Armed Forces and a body that has committed serious human rights violations. Public updates on the death toll and response from the government have come from the President of the National Assembly; the head of the legislative branch is not the competent authority to do so.  

3. The temporary exemption of humanitarian aid from all taxes, tariffs, and customs duties, and the waiver of port and airport charges on relief shipments. 

4. Streamlined entry and appropriate legal protections for international rescue, medical, and humanitarian personnel, so that no team is delayed in reaching those in need. 

5. A single humanitarian coordination body for authorizations and clearances, with priority processing of humanitarian cargo. 

6. Around-the-clock operation of available airports and seaports, and the designation of strategic air and maritime entry points. 

7. Full access and operation of heavy machinery and necessary equipment to remove the rubble.  

8. The safeguarding of humanitarian corridors and logistics centers. 

9. Full authorization for international professional disaster response teams to enter and operate throughout the affected territory. 

10. Assurance that aid is distributed solely on the basis of need and without discrimination, in keeping with the principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence, with the full contribution of civil society and independent organizations.  

11. Repeal of the Law on the Oversight, Regulation, Operation and Financing of Non-Governmental and Non-Profit Social Organizations, as well as any other legislation that would impede the work of civil society and humanitarian organizations. 

12. Lifting all the blockades to social media, media outlets and VPNs.  

13. Allowing Venezuelans with dual nationality with an expired Venezuelan passport to enter and leave the country, considering there are many professionals such as doctors, rescuers, nurses and engineers who are unable to access Venezuela to help due to this restriction.  

We further call on you to sustain your direct support through: 

1. Technical assistance for damage and needs assessment. 

2. Help in restoring emergency communications. 

3. Support for a sustained humanitarian airlift. 

4. Strategic transport capabilities for relief supplies. 

5. Continued cooperation with the United Nations and specialized humanitarian organizations, to keep the response coordinated and accountable. 

6. Support for rapid structural safety assessments of buildings, conducted according to internationally recognized standards, so that families can return home and workers to their jobs once standing structures are certified safe. 

7. Support for planning and financing long-term housing solutions and the re-urbanization of devastated areas, in coordination with local authorities, other donor governments, and specialized agencies. 

8. Adopt measures to protect and provide a regular migratory status to people forcibly displaced to other countries due to this emergency. 

The Venezuelan people are placing their trust in the humanitarian response from the international community, while also relying on the humanitarian and civil society organizations that understand their realities through long-term service in their communities. We would welcome the opportunity to work through a designated focal point or channel with each specific government to share information from the ground and help ensure that assistance reaches those who need it most. We stand ready to contribute in whatever way may be most useful to this effort. 

We ask that support reach the Venezuelan people without delay or conditions, and that governments remain alongside Venezuelans when this tragedy fades from the world’s attention, for the road to recovery will be long and broken institutions will need to be reformed and rebuilt. 

With gratitude, 

A.C. Sinergia 

Acceso a la Justicia 

Acción Solidaria 

Asociación Refugiados Sin Fronteras 

CECODAP (Centros Comunitarios de Aprendizaje) 

CEDICE Libertad, A.C. 

Civilis 

Comisión de Justicia y Paz de la Conferencia Episcopal Venezolana (CEV) 
Un Mundo Sin Mordaza 

Defiende Venezuela 

Due Process of Law Foundation (DPLF)  

Espacio Público 

Laboratorio de Paz 

PROVEA (Programa Venezolano de Educación Acción en Derechos Humanos) 

RedesAyuda 

Transparencia Venezuela 

Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA)