Belgium supports Venezuela through B-FAST after the heavy earthquakes
Severe earthquakes have hit Venezuela. Through B-FAST, Belgium is responding to the international demand for aid, by offering its expertise and sending shelter material.
After the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes on the scale of Richter that struck Venezuela on June 24th, 2026, 920 people already lost their lives, more than 4,300 people were injured, more than 50,000 persons have been reported missing and ten thousands of residents had to leave their homes. Because of the scale of the disaster, the state of emergency was declared.
Given the tragic context, Venezuela has requested international assistance, and the European Civil Protection Mechanism UCPM has been activated. Based on Venezuela's request for help, Belgium is joining the international solidarity by sending basic shelter necessities, such as tents. This operation to ship material is being carried out in close collaboration with the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, which will transport the goods. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Development Cooperation, Maxime Prévot, thanks his Luxembourg counterpart, Xavier Bettel, for the excellent cooperation. This first donation may be followed by other missions, in collaboration with other European countries participating in international aid.
In addition to this donation, Belgium has offered to provide several Belgian experts in the field of crisis management. In this context, a first Belgian expert arrived in Venezuela on June 27th to participate in the support provided by the European Commission in response to the crisis. With this aid, Belgium confirms its solidarity and the active commitment of B-FAST to international aid.
With this donation, Belgium confirms its solidarity and B-FAST's active commitment to international aid.
B-FAST (Belgian First Aid & Support Team) is the structure of the federal government that is activated when providing emergency aid abroad and consists of the FPS Home Affairs, the FPS Policy and Support (BOSA), the FPS Public Health, the Ministry of Defence and the FPS Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, in which the Prime Minister's Office is also involved.