Eight EU countries send aid to Venezuela through the European Civil Protection Mechanism

A total of eight countries of the European Union – including Spain – have already responded by providing help, experts and emergency equipment to the request for assistance launched by Venezuela through the European Civil Protection Mechanism, which the European Commission activated on Thursday, hours after the two serious earthquakes that hit the country on Wednesday and have already left a toll of at least 589 dead.

Brussels already reported on Thursday that Spain, the Czech Republic and Italy have offered support through the European coordination mechanism, but now France, Luxembourg, Germany, Portugal and the Netherlands have also joined.

“We accompany the people of Venezuela in this moment of great tragedy and catastrophe. I thank all Member States for their solidarity and promptness, in sending firefighters, rescue dogs, medical personnel and other forms of assistance. Venezuela is not alone,” the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said in a statement.

So far, Brussels has 520 troops mobilized from the eight countries and is counting on the upcoming shipment of a medical team from Italy and telecommunications, shelter and energy equipment from Luxembourg.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Luxembourg has specified in another statement that this Friday a team of two experts in crisis situations will fly to the region affected by the earthquakes to help reestablish telecommunications in the place, so that humanitarian agencies can deploy their aid operations. This deployment is 75% co-financed by the community coffers and 25% by the Luxembourg budget.

To support the European response, the EU’s Copernicus satellite service has also been activated in emergency mapping mode. The mapping component of the Copernicus Emergency Management Service (CEMS Mapping) uses satellite imagery and other geospatial data to provide a free mapping service in cases of natural and man-made disasters around the world.

The EU reiterates after this gesture that it remains ready to “provide more help as needs on the ground evolve.” Not in vain, Venezuela is one of the main recipients of European humanitarian aid in Latin America and this year alone 52 million euros were disbursed to respond to the humanitarian consequences of the socioeconomic crisis in Venezuela.

EU humanitarian aid is channeled exclusively through humanitarian partners such as UN agencies and international NGOs, working with local partners.