Venezuela Relief

The St Benedict’s RC Church, La Romaine and the St Dominic’s RC, Penal migrant ministries are coordinating with contacts “on the ground” and exercising caution with transport logistics between Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela to ensure supplies reach people in need.

They are mobilising to support Venezuelans after the double 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes struck the country on June 24, killing and displacing thousands and causing catastrophic damage.

Cristina John of the Penal Ministry for Migrants and Refugees said they waited before making a public appeal so “proper arrangements” are made for a “legal vessel” to transport the items and for collection in Venezuela.

The ministry is in contact with Caritas (the official global relief and development agency of the Catholic Church) and the Catholic Church in Venezuela.

She said: “They done make arrangement already with a shipping company….once the stuff arrive on the boat, they will take the stuff to Caracas and La Guaira, but we are trying to do everything organisation to organisation under the Catholic Church”.  John added: “We want to make sure it goes to persons in need.”

A boat travelling from Venezuela will give space for two tonnes of supplies. The ministry will begin collecting donations tomorrow, Wednesday, July 1 for shipment on Friday. John said collection will continue until next Wednesday.

John said information from Caracas is that they have received enough clothing. What is needed are medications including antibiotics, acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, nasal decongestants; medical supplies including gloves, glucometers, saline solution, syringes, blood pressure monitors, wound healing cream; hygiene products including soap, toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, hand sanitizers, baby wipes, pampers. Non-perishable food items, water, towels/blankets, batteries, and tents are also needed. Contact: 744-5930, 322-2042, 797-1478.

Personal protective equipment is required because of the conditions. John said there are decomposing bodies that are not yet in mortuaries. According to reports she received, some mortuaries are charging US$450 to handle deceased people.

“People don’t have that money, so that is why a lot of persons just have the bodies decomposing and the mortuary don’t have the capacity for all these things happening,” she said.

Caution was also expressed by Angie Ramnarine of the La Romaine Migrant Support (LARMS) ministry. “We have to be very coordinated and precise in how the whole transfer of supplies is handled. Based on conversations I’ve been having with doctors on the ground there, right, I’ve received a list of medical supplies that are in urgent need,” she said.

Ramnarine has been liaising with local doctors, pharmacies, and medical representatives to access the things requested. She has divided the needs into three categories:

• medical supplies: masks, gloves and syringes, drips
• toiletries: diapers for adults and babies, sanitary pads
• baby supplies: formula bottles, clothes

Ramnarine said, “On a larger scale the hospitals don’t have things like sheets and gowns and things like that so that’s what LARMS in its capacity can do.”

LARMS is communicating with the local branch of Red Cross whose affiliation with the international body can facilitate access to hard-to-reach areas. Ramnarine stated, “Some of the things I can send with Red Cross. Medical supplies can be sent to Venezuela free of charge so I’m also looking to send some things via the boats free of charge, depending on how booked they are.”

The ministry is dealing with doctors “on the ground” in Caracas and La Guaira. “I have to be very, very, wary with these efforts. I know at a global scale Venezuela is getting a lot of aid but we’re not sure that the aid is reaching to the most vulnerable,” she said.

When aid is delivered to the coast, she is making sure there is someone to collect because there can be looting and supplies end up being sold on the black market.

As of Monday, June 29, there were 1,719 people confirmed dead while thousands are injured or displaced from their homes. The number of missing persons has not been determined yet. The death toll is expected to rise as days go by.

At a press briefing in New York on Monday the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Venezuela, Gianluca Rampolla, said UN and Venezuelan authorities will acquire 10,000 body bags. (https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/06/1167837)

The most affected states of the 23 states in Venezuela are: La Guaira, Caracas (Capital District), Aragua, Carabobo, Miranda, Falcón.