By Belize Live News Staff: In a powerful show of regional solidarity, Belize has pledged to help Venezuela as the South American nation confronts the staggering toll of its devastating twin earthquakes.
Prime Minister John Briceño said he reached out directly to Venezuela’s interim President, Delcy Rodríguez, to express Belize’s support and offer concrete help. He said Belize stands ready to assist, including by sending Belizean linesmen to help restore electricity, a gesture aimed squarely at one of the disaster’s biggest needs. The Prime Minister had also extended the country’s deepest sympathies, reflecting that times of crisis remind nations that their shared humanity outweighs any challenge nature can bring.
The need could hardly be greater. According to NBC News, the death toll has climbed to 1,450, with tens of thousands still missing. Roughly 3,150 people were injured and more than 12,000 left homeless, while a website created to reunite families listed over 46,000 as unaccounted for. With the crucial first 72 hours now behind them, rescuers face dwindling odds of finding more people alive.
Still, the weekend brought flashes of hope. International teams pulled a father and son from the rubble after four days, saved an 11-year-old boy trapped beneath the debris, and rescued a baby from a collapsed building. Dozens of search-and-rescue teams from around the world, more than 2,000 specialists in all, have poured into the country, with more arriving by the day.
On the ground, the mood has been tense. NBC News reported that many Venezuelans felt the official response fell short, with residents in some areas saying they had seen little of the thousands of soldiers and police that officials said were deployed. In La Guaira, the coastal state hit hardest, interim President Rodríguez said power, water, and road access had largely been restored.
For a small country like Belize, choosing to step up for a neighbour in crisis carries real meaning. As Venezuela begins to mourn and rebuild, the solidarity from Belize and the global community offers a measure of comfort in an hour of profound loss.
