Venezuela, a sister nation with more than 28 million inhabitants, has been experiencing multiple dramatic moments in its recent history. It is suffering from a deep-rooted political and economic crisis that has lowered the standard of living and plunged half of the population into poverty.

Two devastating earthquakes

And as if that were not enough, on June 24 it had the misfortune of suffering two devastating earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 points on the Richter scale respectively, with an interval of only 39 seconds, and which caused still incalculable damage in human and material victims.

Apartment buildings, houses, and businesses fell, in many cases burying their inhabitants. Massive power outages and drinking water supply were recorded in multiple regions. The mass transportation system was suspended; The Simón Bolívar international airport of Maiquetía closed commercial operations.

The national emergency shaking that nation is critical.

To date, 2,295 deaths have been recorded, in addition to 11,267 seriously injured, more than 20,000 injured and tens of thousands of displaced people living in temporary camps, improvised shelters or cars. Sadly, the number we will have to mourn is much higher. There are still tens of thousands of absentees. The United Nations estimates that there could be up to 50,000 possible missing people under the rubble.

The capacity of the national medical system was overwhelmed. Multiple hospitals in Caracas and the city of La Guaira are saturated due to the massive overflow of patients.

In many others, the crisis that already existed due to a lack of supplies, personnel and medical resources was also revealed.

Meanwhile, relatives are looking for their loved ones. In the fight to find survivors and manage humanitarian aid, chaos still reigns.

On the other hand, the flow of local and international rescuers who arrived to help denotes a real concern from numerous countries, starting with the United States and also Mexico, El Salvador, Cuba and Colombia, as well as Qatar, China and others.

The large Venezuelan diaspora abroad, whose very existence is a consequence of years of institutional deterioration, political and economic polarization, has mobilized for the homeland.

Dreary forecasts

Unfortunately, scenes of robberies, looting and looting also abound, showing a desperate population and the insufficiency of police deployment, as trust in state institutions and the rule of law is destabilized. to the point that in many cases the neighbors of damaged houses have been organizing to protect their property.

The United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM) calculated on the 27th that more than 6.7 million people would be directly or indirectly affected.

That, without counting the medium and long-term damages that Venezuelans would suffer from the destruction of infrastructure, including serious damage to highways and roads, and in general the long-term interruption of daily life.

In this situation, the help that a US resident can provide is real. Venezuelan businesses and restaurants in the Los Angeles area organize drives to send containers with medicines, canned or non-perishable food, diapers, blankets, batteries, flashlights, and cash.

From Los Angeles they help

Some examples are the Full Arepas restaurant in Downtown Los Angeles, Chamo Venezuelan Cuisine in Pasadena. Groups like the Venezuelan Alliance for Community Support. The county Fire Department sent 71 personnel. Project HOPE deployed four medical assessment teams and is caring for patients. Organizations like Direct Relief are coordinating aid from a variety of sources. Así como Global Empowerment Mission.

We express our solidarity for the suffering of Venezuelans. We share the pain of a country that, tragically, is so rich in natural resources, with the largest oil reserves in the world, more gold and iron deposits, but that has been mired in inexplicable poverty.

We salute the Venezuelan people who were already experiencing economic hardship as a result of international sanctions and internal corruption, plus a populist regime, the kidnapping of their president and the resulting chaos, and now, earthquakes.

It is the duty of the nations of the planet to help Venezuela in its most tragic moment. Put aside obsolete sanctions, restrictions and punishments for what was done by their respective governments, and collaborate in the stabilization of the country.