The Spanish energy company Repsol has chartered three planes to carry emergency aid to Venezuela, following two powerful earthquakes that struck the country on 24 June.
The disaster
The earthquakes, of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, caused buildings to collapse and roads to crack, injuring thousands and leaving many people homeless. According to the latest figures available, more than 2,000 people were killed.
Repsol’s role
Repsol, which has operated in Venezuela since 1993, offered its logistics resources to the Spanish government. In coordination with the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), it organised three flights to carry rescue teams, medical staff and supplies.
Three flights
Search and rescue. The first plane left Madrid with more than 60 specialists, including firefighters, dog handlers and members of the Military Emergencies Unit (UME), together with nine search dogs trained to find people trapped under rubble.
Medical team. A second plane carried 44 specialists — doctors, nurses, logisticians and cooks — to set up and run a field hospital in one of the worst-affected areas, providing medical care and meals for victims and rescuers.
Supplies. A third flight left the Torrejón de Ardoz air base near Madrid with humanitarian supplies, including blankets, water and food.
Previous operations
Repsol says the operation is part of its policy of supporting the communities where it operates. It has previously helped with relief efforts after the floods in Libya in 2023 and after the DANA storm that devastated parts of Valencia and Castilla-La Mancha in late 2024.
Solidarity from the Balearics
The disaster has had a strong impact in Spain, home to a large Venezuelan community, including in the Balearics. In Menorca, Venezuelan residents organised a solidarity event selling arepas and holding a raffle to raise money for children affected by the earthquakes.
How to help
Those wishing to support the relief effort are advised to donate through established humanitarian organisations, such as the Red Cross or UN agencies, or through official appeals, rather than through unverified fundraising campaigns.
