FM Dar offers condolences to Venezuela, vows support after deadly earthquakes

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday conveyed condolences to Venezuela over the recent devastating earthquakes, reaffirming Islamabad’s “unwavering solidarity” with the Venezuelan government and its people during a telephone conversation with Venezuela’s newly appointed Foreign Minister Félix Plasencia.

On June 24, Venezuela was struck by two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, which hit just 39 seconds apart in the western state of Yaracuy. The disaster has so far claimed at least 5,069 lives and left 16,740 people injured, according to National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez.

According to a post on X by the Foreign Office (FO), Dar congratulated Plasencia on his appointment before expressing Pakistan’s “heartfelt condolences” over the earthquakes that struck Venezuela.

He reaffirmed Pakistan’s “unwavering solidarity with the Government and the people of Venezuela during this difficult time” and expressed confidence in the country’s “resilience and recovery.”

Plasencia thanked Dar for Pakistan’s message of sympathy and solidarity and expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s support and humanitarian solidarity with the victims of the natural disasters, underscoring “the importance of mutual support in times of need.”

Read: Death toll from Venezuela earthquakes rises to 5,069

The Venezuelan foreign minister also acknowledged Pakistan’s “constructive role in promoting dialogue and de-escalation” in the regional situation involving the United States and Iran and commended Islamabad’s commitment to “peace and diplomacy.”

The two ministers exchanged views on the “longstanding friendly relations” between Pakistan and Venezuela and reaffirmed their “shared commitment to further strengthening bilateral ties.” They also discussed opportunities to expand cooperation across “trade, investment, business, agriculture, IT, and other areas of mutual interest.”

Both sides underscored the “considerable potential for enhancing economic collaboration” and fostering “stronger people-to-people contacts for the mutual benefit of the two countries.”

Dar emphasised the importance of “sustained high-level engagement” to “reinvigorate bilateral relations and further deepen cooperation.” The two ministers also appreciated the “continued close coordination” between Pakistan and Venezuela at multilateral forums on “issues of common interest.”

They agreed to “remain in close contact” and “meet at the earliest appropriate opportunity” to carry forward the bilateral agenda.

According to the US Geological Survey, the stronger 7.5-magnitude quake struck about 23 kilometres southeast of Yumare, while the 7.2-magnitude tremor hit roughly 24 kilometres northeast of San Felipe.

The twin earthquakes triggered widespread devastation, followed by 890 aftershocks that further hampered rescue and recovery efforts.

More than 128,000 families have received government assistance, but thousands remain displaced. Authorities have set up 106 temporary camps sheltering over 21,000 people, while nearly 18,000 people are still without permanent housing.

The earthquakes also left extensive damage to infrastructure. Rodriguez said 856 buildings were damaged, including 190 that collapsed, leaving entire communities struggling to rebuild.

President Nicolás Maduro said Venezuela needs access to financial resources frozen abroad to support reconstruction, as well as funding for employment and education programmes. Venezuela has faced extensive sanctions from the United States, the European Union, and other countries over the past two decades, measures that Caracas says have complicated its recovery efforts.

After the earthquakes, the US authorised, for four months, ​transactions related to earthquake ​relief that ⁠would have been banned by sanctions.