Venezuelan celebrities are using their platforms to push aid links and missing-person posts after two powerful earthquakes killed hundreds of people and left rescue teams searching through collapsed buildings.
The disaster began Wednesday, June 24, when back-to-back earthquakes struck northern Venezuela less than a minute apart. The Associated Press reported that the first quake measured 7.2, followed 39 seconds later by a 7.5 quake in nearly the same region.
The toll rose sharply by Friday. Reuters reported that Venezuela’s government estimated 920 deaths and 3,360 injuries, with more than 50,000 names listed on a missing-person website. La Guaira, a coastal city near Caracas, was among the hardest-hit areas.
The international response has brought search-and-rescue teams, medical aid, and humanitarian supplies into Venezuela. For public figures with Venezuelan roots, the immediate focus has been visibility: directing followers to relief groups, sharing missing-person posts, and keeping attention on communities still waiting for help.
Alicia Machado and Édgar Ramírez Shared Aid and Missing-Person Posts
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Alicia Machado, the Venezuelan actor and 1996 Miss Universe, used Instagram to point followers toward people affected by the earthquakes and an aid initiative connected to Global Empowerment Mission. In an Associated Press reaction roundup, Machado was quoted saying, “Venezuela needs us united more than ever!”
Édgar Ramírez also used Instagram to amplify missing-person appeals. AP reported that the Venezuelan actor, known for The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story and Emilia Pérez, had shared more than 20 posts by Thursday morning showing people reported missing after the quakes.
Ramírez also shared an image of the Venezuelan flag that Jamie Lee Curtis had posted, according to AP. The celebrity response has centered on practical amplification rather than red-carpet statements: missing names, aid links, and posts from people trying to locate relatives.
The Quakes Hit Less Than a Minute Apart
The U.S. Geological Survey described the two major quakes as a doublet because they were close in time, location, and magnitude. AP reported that the quakes struck along Venezuela’s northern coast and were among the strongest to hit the country in more than a century.
Damage spread across Caracas and coastal areas north of the capital. AP reported that the country’s main airport in Caracas was damaged and closed, subway service was suspended, and parts of the capital lost power and cellphone service after the quakes.
Reuters reported that at least 100 buildings collapsed in La Guaira, including high-rise apartment buildings. Residents and rescue workers were still combing through rubble Friday, while some communities described digging with bare hands and improvised tools as they waited for heavier equipment.
World Leaders Sent Rescue Teams and Humanitarian Aid
Messages of solidarity quickly turned into offers of emergency support. AP reported that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States was deploying search-and-rescue teams, medical resources, and humanitarian assistance.
French President Emmanuel Macron said France was sending 85 rescue workers specializing in search and clearance operations. Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said Brazil would send a search-and-rescue mission with firefighters, risk-assessment specialists, telecommunications support, medical supplies, water purifiers, and equipment for an open hospital.
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum said military rescue workers and medical personnel would depart for Venezuela, while Spain pledged search-and-rescue teams and aid workers. China’s Foreign Ministry said China was willing to provide assistance based on Venezuela’s needs.
Aid Groups and Venezuelans Abroad Mobilized
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The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies launched a 50 million Swiss franc emergency appeal, worth about $61 million, to support people affected by the earthquakes. A first shipment from the IFRC regional hub in Panama included 17 metric tons of humanitarian supplies, including kitchen sets, hygiene kits, mosquito nets, and other essential items.
World Central Kitchen said its relief team was heading to Caracas to support families affected by the quakes. Reuters also reported that the organization had begun food distribution in Caracas as part of the broader emergency response.
Venezuelans abroad have organized donation drives and shared aid links while families inside the country search hospitals, shelters, and online missing-person posts. Reuters reported that foreign rescue teams from Mexico, El Salvador, Spain, Colombia, and other countries had joined local efforts by Friday.
Rescue Work Continued as Families Waited for News
The confirmed toll may continue to change as crews reach more collapsed buildings. Reuters reported that the government estimated hundreds of people were still trapped or missing beyond the confirmed fatalities and injuries.
Thousands of residents have also been displaced. AP reported that families in Caracas and La Guaira were sleeping in cars, parks, plazas, and under trees while waiting for authorities to inspect damaged buildings and identify safer shelter options.