Venezuela awards state medal to Turkish rescuer for saving 38 in earthquakes

Turkish national Ibrahim Eser, who helped rescue 38 people trapped under rubble after the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela, was awarded the Hero of Venezuela Medal by Acting President Delcy Rodriguez in recognition of his extraordinary efforts.

From the first moments after the earthquakes, Eser also provided Anadolu with footage and information documenting the disaster, helping bring the scale of the tragedy to international attention.

Speaking at a ceremony held at Jorge Luis Garcia Carneiro Stadium in La Guaira, Rodriguez presented the medal to Eser, as well as members of Venezuela’s security and emergency response agencies who took part in rescue and coordination efforts following the disaster.

Addressing the ceremony, Rodriguez praised the rescue teams for their dedication, saying they had carried out their duties with honor and dignity, fought tirelessly to save lives and embodied Venezuela’s spirit of resilience and solidarity.

Speaking to Anadolu, Eser described his meeting with Rodriguez, the process leading to the award and the ceremony.

He said Rodriguez had recently attended the inauguration of a tent city established by Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), where Türkiye’s Ambassador to Caracas Naci Aydan Karamanoglu mentioned Eser’s humanitarian work.

Eser said Rodriguez later approached him personally, saying:

"She thanked me and said, 'I have been following you and your work online. Thank you for everything.' Then she turned to her team and said, 'We need to present Ibrahim with an award. He truly deserves it,'" he recalled.

Eser said he later received a phone call from the presidential palace requesting information about his identity and how long he had been in Venezuela before being informed that Rodriguez wished to present him with the medal.

Eser said one moment at the ceremony stood out in particular.

He noted that Rodriguez greeted attendees but did not shake hands with them. However, she addressed him by name, held his hand and personally thanked him for his efforts, a gesture he described as especially meaningful.

According to Eser, Rodriguez told him: "What you have done is a source of honor and pride."

"I replied, 'The honor belongs to all of us. Just as we worked from the first day, we will continue to do so.' It was a brief conversation. She thanked me and moved on," he said.

Eser also noted that numerous Cabinet ministers and senior officials, including the ministers of interior, foreign affairs and defense, attended the ceremony.

"Everyone, whether I knew them or not, came over to greet me. They kept saying, 'Turk, thank you for everything,'" he said.