This week, Venezuela has been devastated by a series of powerful earthquakes that have claimed at least 235 lives. As the search for survivors continues, more than 4,300 individuals have been reported injured, and thousands remain unaccounted for. In a move to aid this crisis-stricken nation, U.S. military leadership is on the ground in Caracas, facilitating relief operations.
As rescue efforts press on, officials anticipate the death toll will continue to rise. The earthquakes, which struck on Wednesday night, registered magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 and wreaked havoc about 120 miles west of the capital city, Caracas.
Venezuelan state television has been broadcasting heart-wrenching footage of the disaster. Among the scenes, rescuers were shown pulling a woman from beneath a cement slab, her only visible trace being a bare foot. The Associated Press highlighted the poignant images of dust- and blood-covered survivors, including children and animals, being drawn from the debris.
Arriving overnight, U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Kevin J. Jarrard is now in Caracas, as confirmed by the U.S. Southern Command, to command the Department of War’s assistance in Venezuela’s earthquake recovery missions.
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Neighbors carry a man rescued from the rubble of a collapsed building in La Guaira, Venezuela, on Thursday, June 25, 2026, the day after earthquakes struck the area. (Pedro Mattey/AP Photo)
SOUTHCOM’s announcement comes as the Trump administration has activated a government-wide humanitarian response, pledging $150 million in aid and deploying U.S. Navy warships to assist in life-saving rescue operations.
“Maj. Gen. Jarrard is serving as the senior U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) official on the ground and is working closely with partners to plan, coordinate, and direct the U.S. military’s unparalleled logistical and operational capabilities to support the rapid, life-saving movement of response personnel, equipment, and humanitarian assistance into affected areas,” SOUTHCOM said in a statement, noting that Venezuela’s interim government — led by acting President Delcy Rodríguez — formally requested American assistance.
“Assigned U.S. military forces will utilize fixed and rotor wing aircraft to provide specialized mobility services and assist U.S. Government personnel, search and rescue teams, and partners assessing damage and delivering critical life-saving assistance,” SOUTHCOM added.
Responders search for victims in a demolished building in Caracas, Venezuela, after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake and a 7.5 aftershock struck the region on June 24, 2026. (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)
The coastal region of La Guaira, which is located north of Caracas, suffered some of the heaviest damage and casualties. The country’s main airport is there and was closed due to damage, complicating aid efforts.
Retired schoolteacher Juan Alberto Mendaño climbed through wreckage in La Guaira and past a body when he spotted a woman who was trapped and signaling with her hand for help, according to the AP.
“May God rescue her as quickly as possible,” Mendaño reportedly said. “When we heard the scream, there was nothing we could do.”
Venezuelan authorities said they were diverting rescue teams from other parts of the country to La Guaira.
Rodríguez also appealed to businesses Thursday to make heavy construction equipment available for rescue operations.
Patients lie outside a hospital evacuated after it was damaged in an earthquake in Catia La Mar, Venezuela, on June 25, 2026. (Pedro Mattey/AP)
“We hope to rescue as many living people as possible,” Rodríguez added, referring to La Guaira as a “disaster zone.”