Six Portuguese descendants confirmed dead in Venezuela earthquakes

Portugal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that, so far, six Portuguese nationals and people of Portuguese descent have been confirmed dead following the powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela, while 56 members of the Portuguese community remain missing.

Portuguese authorities continue working to establish contact with members of the large Portuguese and Luso-Venezuelan community, particularly in the coastal state of La Guaira, one of the areas worst affected by the disaster.

The first confirmed Portuguese victim, a man living in Venezuela, was pulled alive from the rubble in Caracas but died while being transported to hospital, according to the Minister for the Presidency, António Leitão Amaro. Portugal’s foreign ministry later confirmed his identity as a Portuguese national residing in the country.

Madeira’s regional president, Miguel Albuquerque, had earlier reported two deaths among Portuguese descendants and warned that many others remained unaccounted for. He said communications across affected areas were severely disrupted, making it difficult to establish the full extent of the tragedy.

Portuguese authorities have been in contact with their Venezuelan counterparts since the first moments after the earthquakes. Prime Minister Luís Montenegro has also spoken by telephone with Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, to offer Portugal’s support.

The Portuguese government has meanwhile expanded its planned emergency response. An initial deployment of 50 rescue personnel has now been increased to 60 specialists, Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel said.

The team includes members of the National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM), the National Republican Guard’s Emergency Protection and Rescue Unit (GNR), and six search-and-rescue dog teams. Portugal is also sending 23 tonnes of humanitarian aid.

Leitão Amaro said the rescue contingent had experience responding to major international disasters, including the devastating earthquakes in Turkey, and stressed that Portugal wanted to support both its nationals abroad and the Venezuelan people.

According to the latest official figures, at least 235 people have died and more than 4,300 have been injured. However, the US Geological Survey estimates that the final death toll could ultimately reach between 10,000 and 100,000, depending on the extent of building collapses across the affected region.

Inês Lopes

Newspaper editor at The Portugal Resident