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The U.S. military, under the direction of U.S. Southern Command, is sustaining support to the State Department-led earthquake relief effort in Venezuela.
The Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Center is fully operational and coordinating U.S. military support to Venezuelan relief operations alongside the Government of Venezuela, the State Department, allies, partners, and other agencies on the ground.
Joint Task Force-B has shifted some advanced elements from Simón Bolívar International Airport to the Port of La Guaira, adjacent to the USS Fort Lauderdale, to help establish a key command-and-control node for coordination and the rapid movement of humanitarian aid. The task force has also deployed a Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment, a specialized U.S. Army medical unit designed to provide immediate life-saving surgical support.
On the ground, 10 medium-sized military transport trucks, three trailers, three highly mobile off-road vehicles, and a military ambulance are operating under a U.S. Marine Combat Logistics Company. The unit also has a water purification system, a tram, a mobile potable water container, and a military-grade tow truck/wrecker.
The USS Fort Lauderdale remains berthed at La Guaira Port, serving as a communications and distribution node and a medical support platform. Nearby, the USS Billings is positioned in the vicinity of Venezuelan territorial waters, providing rotary-wing air capabilities to deliver aid and supplies to otherwise inaccessible areas.
At Simón Bolívar International Airport, the Contingency Response Element remains fully operational, conducting airfield management, air traffic coordination, communications, and security. A Forward Arming and Refueling Point at the airport is capable of fully supporting all military rotary-wing aircraft missions in the area.
Updates on the mission will be posted on SOUTHCOM’s official social media accounts. Planning for additional U.S. military support is underway in coordination with the State Department, the Venezuelan government, and other partners and allies, with further announcements to follow once confirmed.
