July 1, 2026, 2026 — CARE is supporting a network of women-led Venezuelan organizations as they respond to two historic earthquakes that devastated the country’s northern coast on the evening of June 24, killing and injuring thousands and leaving widespread destruction and a rapidly growing humanitarian crisis.
“After being in La Guaira, the situation is much more dire than we initially thought,” said Daniella Inojosa of Tinta Violeta, an organization supported by CARE that specializes in psychosocial support and specialized services for women and children. “The destruction is total. It doesn’t even look like there was ever a city there.”
In the aftermath of the earthquakes, Tinta Violeta set up multiple sites in some of the hardest-hit communities to provide targeted support. At these locations they have been helping survivors cope with the trauma brought on by such a crisis, and distributing essential hygiene supplies and other relief items. They are also providing compassionate care and support for people affected by gender-based violence. Within the first 72 hours of operating in displacement shelters, the organization identified 22 cases of sexual violence, underscoring the heightened risks facing women and girls forced to flee their homes.
“The scale of devastation, human loss, and trauma is absolutely heartbreaking, and with search and rescue efforts still continuing, we know the humanitarian needs will continue to grow,” said Ana Maria Mendez, CARE’s Regional Director in Latin America and the Caribbean. “Our Venezuelan partners, who we have been working alongside since 2018, began responding in the very first hours after the earthquakes, even as some of their own staff and volunteers were directly affected. They know these communities, understand their needs, and are best placed to lead the response.”
The back-to-back earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude, struck near the coastal state of La Guaira, on the outskirts of Venezuela’s capital, Caracas. The second earthquake was the strongest recorded in the country in more than 125 years. The disaster has compounded an already fragile humanitarian situation in Venezuela, where years of economic and political crisis have forced millions to flee the country.
In Venezuela, CARE works entirely through partners and is coordinating directly with them to support communities affected by the disaster, with a particular focus on women and girls, who often face heightened risks during emergencies. These organizations are responding across La Guaira, Caracas, and Carabobo, with relief efforts expected to expand as assessments continue and humanitarian needs evolve.
CARE’s partners report that the most urgent needs right now include safe shelter, clean water and sanitation, food, emergency medical care, psychosocial support, protection for unaccompanied children, and safe spaces for women and girls. They also warn that the health system, which was already fragile before the earthquakes, has collapsed in the hardest-hit coastal communities, and is under immense strain in Caracas.
Among the other services provided by Tinta Violetais a free hotline for people to call to receive emotional and practical support to cope with this highly traumatic event. Families receive guidance on how to help children navigate post-traumatic stress by encouraging them to express their feelings and slowly set up new routines. “It is normal for children and adolescents to feel afraid, anxious or confused and even change their behaviors after an earthquake,” reads a post on Tinta Violeta’s Instagram account, adding that it’s “fundamental for children to process what has happened, express their emotions, and slowly regain a sense of safety and security.”
CARE is also partnering with Grupo Social CESAP — a network of 19 Venezuelan civil society organizations — as well as Humanity & Inclusion, to deliver an inclusive response. In La Guaira, CESAP operates a community kitchen that provides hot meals for displaced families. As the response continues, CARE’s partners are seeking funding to sustain and expand this work, considering the magnitude of the crisis. To support the work of CARE’s Venezuelan partners responding to the earthquake, visit www.care.org.
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