After a long 25-hour journey, all members of the Israeli delegation arrived in Venezuela. The 32 professionals, including structural engineers and Home Front Command experts, gathered in the coastal area of La Guaira, which was hit by two powerful earthquakes, and began surveying the many buildings ahead of reconstruction efforts.
Brig. Gen. Elad Edri, chief of staff of the Home Front Command and commander of the delegation, said that “after touring the area, we understood that we could do much more than we had planned. We proposed a comprehensive plan to rehabilitate the area.”
The Israeli delegation in Venezuela
(Video: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit)
About 1,300 buildings need to be mapped
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit)
Brig. Gen. Edri with local authorities
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit)
The double earthquake struck Venezuela on June 25, and since then, more than 3,340 people have been pulled dead from the rubble. The earthquakes left more than 17,000 people homeless and about 16,000 others injured. Some of the victims have yet to be identified, and Edri said that “the understanding is that there are many more victims, along with a large number of missing people. This is an area that was severely hit. The city of Caracas is located on a high ridge, and beneath it are hotels, ordinary residential neighborhoods and the airport. It is very similar to Jerusalem, with the Dead Sea below it.”
Unlike previous Home Front Command delegations around the world, such as the one that helped rescue the injured after the earthquake in Turkey and included about 400 people, the delegation to Venezuela is small and made up of experts. The local government asked for assistance in rehabilitation, not rescue. The delegation’s original mission was to assess buildings still standing, determine whether they should be demolished or preserved, decide what should be evacuated for fear of collapse and identify where daily life could continue. But the reality on the ground pushed the delegation to formulate a broader assistance plan.
“We proposed a comprehensive plan to rehabilitate the damaged area. We have these capabilities,” Edri said. “The locals were very enthusiastic about the idea, and they immediately presented it to the president of Venezuela.”
The delegation then established a back office in Israel, staffed by civilian intelligence specialists, structural engineers and heavy engineering equipment experts. They drew up timetables, assessed resources and mapped the needs down to the level of a single excavator. The new plan addresses blocked streets, national and local public information efforts and advanced solutions for clearing and recycling tons of construction waste.
Edri added: “We presented the plan to the authorities, and the enthusiasm was enormous. They worked on it all night, and now our teams are mapping areas at their request. At the moment, there are about 1,300 buildings of various types that need to be assessed, from 15-story residential towers to schools. An earthquake is a terrible disaster, and the sights here are very difficult. There are many homeless people on the streets who are organized in tent camps, and our arrival makes it clear to them that they are not alone.”
Israeli activity at the epicenter
(Video: Foreign Ministry)
Edri in the field
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit)
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit)
Despite the positive moments, the arrival was complicated. The team members arrived in small groups after a lengthy logistical effort, with the absence of diplomatic relations between Israel and Venezuela since 2009 also casting a shadow over the delegation’s departure. Now, team members are moving around the area proudly, wearing IDF uniforms and national emblems, and have also met with members of the Jewish community.
A delegation official said that “many families moved into tents near the buildings that were evacuated. Almost everyone we meet stops to say thank you. We are walking around in uniform, and people express great appreciation that we came to help.
“There were people in the community who were moved to tears when they saw us in IDF uniforms. All the soldiers in the delegation are moving around in uniform, accompanied by security and local police. We have not encountered any protest. Everywhere we have been, we have received only appreciation, gratitude and comments that our arrival should not be taken for granted.”
Edri also described the reception. “There were question marks, but I have to say we were positively stunned. We landed in Valencia, two hours from Caracas, and the welcome was especially warm. Here, we are walking among the ruined buildings, and people are shaking our hands and blessing us. Every police officer who meets us sees the flag on our sleeve and says, ‘You’re from Israel? Thank you for coming.’ There is zero hostility.
“Last Friday, we also held a joint prayer and Shabbat dinner with members of the Jewish community. There was tremendous emotion over our arrival, certainly in the shadow of the disaster. We were very glad to make that close connection.”
For now, the Israeli delegation will continue assisting local authorities in the coming days, and on Sunday, it will complete its mission and make its way back to Israel.
“We are working very well with the local government. They very much want Israeli assistance and are cooperating with us fully,” the official said. “We are preparing a professional report and passing our recommendations on to the government. Ultimately, the decision on whether to evacuate, rehabilitate or demolish a building belongs to the authorities in Venezuela.”