Muhammet Emin Canik
08 July 2026•Update: 08 July 2026
The Turkish Red Crescent distributed 1,000 hygiene kits Tuesday to survivors of the powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela last month, delivering assistance to one of the country's hardest-hit regions.
In cooperation with the Venezuelan Red Cross, Turkish Red Crescent teams handed out 500 hygiene kits to families staying at a tent camp in Playa Grande, La Guaira, one of the areas most severely affected by the earthquakes.
The remaining 500 kits were delivered to the La Guaira governor's office at Jose Maria Vargas Stadium, where humanitarian aid is being collected and organized for distribution to earthquake victims.
The ceremony was attended by Türkiye's Ambassador to Caracas Naci Aydan Karamanoglu, La Guaira Governor Jose Alejandro Teran and Brig. Gen. Mehmet Bahtiyar, commander of the Turkish Armed Forces Humanitarian Aid Brigade, as well as officials from Türkiye's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and members of Türkiye's National Medical Rescue Team (UMKE).
Speaking at the event, Karamanoglu said the Turkish Red Crescent had prepared and donated 1,000 boxes of personal hygiene supplies for earthquake survivors in La Guaira.
He also thanked the Yunus Emre Institute, noting that students attending courses there helped pack the relief supplies provided by the Turkish Red Crescent.
"All of Türkiye and the Turkish community stand in full solidarity with La Guaira, and our humanitarian aid efforts will continue," Karamanoglu said.
"The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency will carry out another aid operation, while AFAD is also sending humanitarian assistance. With all our institutions, we stand by the people of Venezuela and La Guaira," he added.
Governor Teran thanked Türkiye for its support, saying the solidarity demonstrated through concrete actions was strengthening ties between the two countries.
"Thanks to this support, solidarity and these demonstrations of friendship, the bonds of friendship between Venezuela and Türkiye are growing stronger," he said.
Teran said the hygiene kits would be distributed at camps sheltering more than 10,000 earthquake survivors.
He added that Venezuelans were deeply moved by Türkiye's assistance, noting that people were especially pleased when they saw the Venezuelan and Turkish flags displayed together.
Reconstruction of La Guaira is expected to take months, Teran said, thanking the Turkish people and government for their support.
The boxes of hygiene supplies carried the message: "With love and solidarity from the people of Türkiye to the people of Venezuela."
