At least 32 people have died and 700 were injured following two earthquakes and aftershocks that shook Venezuela on Wednesday, according to the country’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez.
“The images reaching us from Venezuela are heartbreaking,” said Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot in response to the earthquakes. “My thoughts go out to the Venezuelan people and to everyone waiting for news of a loved one,” the minister stated on X.
According to Prévot, Belgium is monitoring the situation closely. “Our crisis centre in Brussels has been mobilised, and our embassy in Bogota [the capital of Colombia], responsible for Venezuela, is ready to assist compatriots in need,” he said.
The minister has called on Belgians in the affected area to register on Travellers Online. Belgian travellers can register their travel details on this platform of the FPS Foreign Affairs. In the event of an emergency, natural disaster, political unrest, or other crisis abroad, this allows Foreign Affairs to contact and assist people more quickly.
At the same time, Belgium is “ready to help” if the European Civil Protection Mechanism is activated. This European mechanism is a cooperation framework that provides coordination and mutual assistance during large-scale emergencies.
