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Hello again! It’s Hugh. I wanted to make sure that you saw this urgent update on our emergency response efforts we’re accomplishing on the ground in Venezuela alongside local partners, right now. You can learn more by reading my Q&A below and by clicking here to learn more about how we're helping families in Venezuela. Sincerely, Hugh Aprile ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Mercy Corps <[email protected]> Date: Tuesday, July 14, 2026 at 7:49 AM Subject: [UPDATE] Disaster response in Venezuela |
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VENEZUELA: Q&A WITH HUGH APRILE
A devastating earthquake has struck Venezuela — one of the worst Latin America has seen in over a decade — deepening an already dire situation for millions of families. Hugh Aprile, Mercy Corps’ Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean, shares what he’s seeing on the ground and how our team is responding. Read on for his report, and click below to learn more about how we’re helping families in Venezuela.
Hugh: Not since the horrific earthquake in Haiti in 2010 have we witnessed such a devastating earthquake in Latin America. So far, over 3,000 individuals have lost their lives, while over 17,000 have lost their homes. This disaster also compounded what was already a dire economic situation for most Venezuelans. Q: What are the most urgent, immediate needs you’re hearing from impacted communities? Hugh: What we’re hearing most is the need for the basics — clean water and sanitation, shelter, food, and safe spaces for children. These are the things families lost overnight, and they need them now. Q: How are communities showing resilience in the face of this disaster? Hugh: Even now, people are finding ways to hold on. More than 10,000 are living in makeshift shelters, others have moved in with friends and family, and nearly everyone is leaning on the generosity of neighbors and organizations like Mercy Corps to get through each day. Q: What is Mercy Corps doing to help? Hugh: We are working with a local partner, Superatec, to provide safe spaces and sanitation and hygiene support to hundreds of families. We are also delivering protection services, psychosocial support, and emergency food assistance to families residing in transitional shelters both in the earthquakes’ epicenters and in other regions of the country preparing to receive thousands of displaced families in need of assistance. As we assess the earthquakes’ impacts on survivors’ lives and livelihoods, we are also working to expand access to critical support services, including legal assistance for affected families. Supporters like you help team members like Hugh reach families facing disaster, hunger, and hardship. This work wouldn’t be possible without our team, our partners, and caring people like you. We’ll continue to keep you updated on our work in Venezuela and crisis zones around the world. With gratitude, The Mercy Corps team |
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