Pope Leo has expressed solidarity with people in Venezuela after twin earthquakes struck the country earlier this week, causing widespread damage and leaving communities in urgent need of assistance.
Speaking in Spanish before worshippers gathered for Sunday’s Angelus prayer in Rome, the pontiff said he was close to those affected by the disaster.
“I wish to express my closeness to the Venezuelan sisters and brothers affected by the recent earthquakes that caused numerous victims and injuries,” he said.
He also thanked rescuers, emergency workers and others helping people in the aftermath of the earthquakes.
The two powerful tremors struck Venezuela on Wednesday evening, with the U.S. Geological Survey saying a magnitude 7.2 quake was followed less than a minute later by a magnitude 7.5 tremor. The quakes hit areas in and around Caracas, with La Guaira among the worst affected.
Officials have said the death toll has risen above 1,400, with thousands injured and tens of thousands still reported missing, as rescue teams continue searching through damaged buildings.
Homes, roads and key infrastructure have been damaged, while repeated aftershocks have forced many residents to stay outside amid fears that weakened buildings could collapse. Authorities are still assessing the full scale of the destruction, with many communities in need of shelter, medical care, food and clean water.
The pope’s message comes as international support for Venezuela begins to gather pace.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the European Union had mobilised €5m ($5.9m) in emergency assistance for affected communities.
Kallas said she had spoken with Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, to express Europe’s solidarity with the Venezuelan people.
“We have activated the European Civil Protection Mechanism, with several member states rapidly deploying search-and-rescue teams, firefighters and medical personnel,” Kallas said.
She added that the EU’s Copernicus satellite system was helping map the damage and direct assistance to the areas most in need.
Before becoming pope, Leo spent decades as a missionary and bishop in Peru, a Spanish-speaking country. He is planning a major tour of southern Latin America in November, expected to include Peru, Argentina and Uruguay.
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