Portuguese rescuers on ground in Venezuela still waiting for green light to deploy

Portugal’s earthquake response team has arrived in Venezuela with specialist search-and-rescue personnel and 23 tonnes of humanitarian aid but, four days after the devastating twin earthquakes that left thousands of people unaccounted for, the mission is still waiting for authorisation from Venezuelan authorities before it can begin operations.

ANEPC, the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority, said the Portuguese Joint Operational Force (FOCON) landed at Simón Bolívar International Airport aboard two Portuguese Air Force aircraft carrying 64 emergency responders.

Instead of immediately deploying to the disaster zone, the team is currently unloading equipment while awaiting its operational assignment.

“Personnel are unloading equipment and awaiting the assignment of a mission by the Venezuelan authorities, as part of the international response effort to the earthquakes that affected the country,” said ANEPC in a statement.

The development highlights a contrast frequently seen in the aftermath of international disasters. While announcements often focus on the rapid dispatch of overseas rescue teams, the reality on the ground is that foreign missions can only begin work once they have been formally integrated into the host country’s emergency command structure.

In Venezuela’s case, that means Portugal’s highly trained rescue specialists remain on standby despite arriving with capabilities in urban search and rescue, victim recovery, disaster response and emergency medical assistance.

The Portuguese contingent includes members of the GNR’s Special Protection and Relief Unit (UEPS), the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority, Lisbon’s Sapadores Fire Brigade and the National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM).

The mission also brought approximately 23 tonnes of humanitarian supplies, including personal protective equipment, search-and-rescue tools, medical equipment, medicines, tents, generators and food.

Before departure, ANEPC deputy national commander José Ribeiro said the Portuguese personnel were highly experienced in earthquake response operations. The mission has been planned to last ten days, with an additional two days held in reserve if required.

The two powerful earthquakes, measuring magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, struck northern Venezuela on Wednesday less than a minute apart and were followed by more than 20 aftershocks, according to the US Geological Survey.

The latest official figures put the death toll at at least 929, with 3,360 people injured. Among the dead are at least 41 Portuguese citizens or people of Portuguese descent, while another 91 remain missing or uncontactable. The United Nations has estimated that more than 50,000 people are still missing.

Dozens of buildings collapsed or suffered severe damage in Caracas and the coastal state of La Guaira, one of the regions worst affected by the disaster.

Portugal is among several European countries that have dispatched rescue teams to assist the international relief effort.

Venezuelan authorities meantime have faced mounting scrutiny over the pace and coordination of the disaster response.

Source material: LUSA/ APNews