Gratitude in Caracas: Venezuela FM Thanks India for Earthquake Relief at Field Hospital

Venezuela's Foreign Minister Yvan Gil visited the Indian field hospital in Caracas on Saturday, expressing heartfelt gratitude to India for its earthquake relief efforts. The field hospital, set up by the Indian Army at the International La Rinconada Racetrack, provides comprehensive medical care to victims of the devastating earthquakes that struck the country last month, claiming over 1,700 lives.

'On behalf of the Bolivarian Government and the people of Venezuela, we express our most sincere gratitude to the Government and the people of India, especially to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for extending a helping hand,' Mr. Gil said in a post on X. Indian Ambassador P.K. Ashok Babu accompanied the Foreign Minister during the visit.

The relief mission, named 'Operacion Amistad' (Operation Friendship), involved two Indian Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft that transported 66 tonnes of aid. This included the field hospital, over 35 tonnes of relief supplies, medicines, medical equipment, and two BHISHM Cubes—mobile hospitals designed for emergency medical care. Indian rescue and medical teams are working alongside Venezuelan authorities to provide emergency care and conduct search and rescue operations.

The earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, were among the strongest in Venezuela in over a century and were felt across the region. The Indian Embassy in Caracas confirmed that Mr. Gil met with doctors and the public, expressing gratitude for India's swift response to the calamity.