U.S. Coordinates Massive Earthquake Aid Delivery to Venezuela

The nonprofit Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) is leading a grassroots humanitarian operation to provide relief to Venezuela after 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes on June 24 killed at least 4,500 people and displaced 17,000. Operating from its headquarters in Doral, Florida, GEM has deployed nearly one million pounds of food and hygiene kits to warehouses in Caracas.

This effort is facilitated by the U.S. Department of State and supported by the U.S. military, including U.S. Marines who used amphibious craft to deliver supplies. This cooperation follows a shift in relations after U.S. forces captured Nicolás Maduro on January 3. To fund the recovery, the U.S. Treasury Department has contributed over $386 million by controlling Venezuelan oil revenue to support the interim government.

GEM President Michael Capponi detailed a logistics chain that bypasses the Venezuelan government entirely, using private planes and U.S. soldiers to move supplies into controlled warehouses. While the U.S. charge d’affairs for Venezuela, John M. Barrett, noted the interim government's compliance with humanitarian requests, some human rights advocates have raised concerns regarding the transparency of the oil revenue funds.