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Madrid allocates one million euros for humanitarian aid in Venezuela
The Comunidad de Madrid will allocate one million euros in humanitarian aid to Venezuela after the earthquake that has severely affected Caracas, La Guaira, and Gran Caracas. The measure aims to cover basic needs, strengthen healthcare, and support families who have lost their homes or are still in temporary accommodation.
The announcement comes after Isabel Díaz Ayuso's meeting with Edmundo González Urrutia at the Real Casa de Correos, on a day also marked by the tribute to victims at Puerta del Sol. The tragedy has left more than 3,500 people dead and thousands injured or displaced, with entire neighbourhoods awaiting assistance.
The aid will be deployed between July and December and will focus on the most urgent needs: drinking water, healthcare, essential items and support for communities left without basic services. The Department of Family, Youth and Social Affairs will coordinate the operation through social organisations.
The planned materials include filters, jerrycans, water-purification tablets, telecommunications equipment and means of transport to facilitate the arrival of aid in the hardest-hit areas. The priority will be to ensure that support does not remain an announcement and can be sustained over the coming months.
Madrid had already activated emergency resources after the earthquake. ERICAM, which specialises in rescue and immediate response, travelled to Venezuela to collaborate in search, rescue and assessment work on damaged structures alongside other international teams.
The aid also has a very close meaning for the capital. Madrid has a large Venezuelan community that is very present in the city's everyday life, from shops and restaurants to schools, offices and neighbourhood associations. For many families, the emergency is being experienced thousands of kilometres away, but with direct anguish at home.
The sending of funds and resources seeks to respond to a situation that will continue to need support beyond the first few days. After a disaster of this magnitude, access to safe water, medical care and psychological support can be as important as the first rescue efforts.
The decision leaves Madrid connected to an emergency that does not feel distant to thousands of residents. When part of the city has family, roots or memories in Venezuela, humanitarian aid ceases to be only international cooperation and becomes part of how the capital supports a community struck by tragedy.