Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
FMA Venezuela
La Guaira (Fides News Agency) – Relief efforts continue in Venezuela. The death toll from the earthquakes that struck the country remains provisional; according to an estimate published by the Venezuelan government, the number of dead stands at 3,300 and the number of injured at 16,700. Hospitals in Caracas and La Guaira continue to admit the injured and are working under immense pressure. Meanwhile, more than 150 unidentified bodies have been buried at the La Esperanza cemetery in La Guaira.
On Saturday, July 4, a group of six nuns, led by Sister Maria Eugenia Ramos, Provincial of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in Venezuela, traveled to the state of La Guaira, one of the hardest-hit areas (see Fides, 3/7/2026). “In Naiguatá and Catia La Mar, we delivered medical supplies and medications to various health facilities; food, water, hygiene products, diapers, and mattresses directly to those affected. In Caraballeda, we brought gloves, masks, and protective goggles for the Venezuelan volunteers who are working tirelessly despite limited resources.”
“We are grateful to God for giving us the opportunity to build a bridge so that donations from the Multidisciplinary Research and Service Campus of the Universidad de Los Andes, the delivery and transportation platform Yummy, our alumni, and other donors in Venezuela and abroad can directly reach those in need,” the Salesian Sisters in Venezuela declared. “This allowed us to share the pain of those who have lost everything and to witness first-hand the dedication and commitment of Venezuelan and foreign rescue workers, the volunteers from other parts of the country, the doctors, paramedics, and firefighters who are doing their utmost on the ground.”
“I continue to remember in my prayers the victims of the earthquake and all the Venezuelan people. May the Lord sustain them in this time of great hardship,” Pope Leo affirmed at the end of the Angelus prayer with the pilgrims and faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, July 5, in his address to the choir of the University of Mérida in Venezuela. (AP) (Fides News Agency, 6/7/2026)
