Acting President Delcy Rodríguez awarded the First-class “Hero of Venezuela” Medal to the Vietnamese SAR contingent and the Second-Class “Hero of Venezuela” Medal to its 124 members.
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Rescuers recover a victim's body from a collapsed building. |
Yet, for every contingent member, the sincere affection from the Venezuelan Government and people was the most treasured medal of all.
Striving to restore hope
According to the official Venezuelan report on the twin earthquakes, as of July 8, 3,811 people were killed, 16,740 injured, 86,794 assisted, and 17,907 left homeless, with 1,102 aftershocks recorded. The SAR operations involved 4,388 rescuers from over 40 countries, 29,567 military and police personnel, and 28,992 volunteers, while missing persons could reach tens of thousands.
The United Nations estimates USD 6.7 billion in losses, equivalent to 6 percent of Venezuela's GDP. Thousands live in temporary shelters across parks and public squares, while Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía, La Guaira state, remains closed to commercial flights.
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Oscar Fernandez expresses his gratitude to the Vietnamese rescuers for helping locate and recover his mother's body from the collapsed structure on July 4 (local time). |
Oscar Fernandez expresses his gratitude to the Vietnamese rescuers for helping locate and recover his mother's body from the collapsed structure on July 4 (local time).
For the first ten days, infrastructure was paralyzed, forcing authorities to convert a seaport in La Guaira into a temporary morgue where body bags lay across the floor. Under the scorching sun, hundreds of grieving families waited anxiously, some finding their loved ones while others still hoped for a miracle.
After nearly two weeks, hope faded as operations shifted from rescue to burial and recovery. Newly dug graves at the La Esperanza Cemetery in La Guaira bear simple white crosses and small bouquets, while excavators prepare additional burial plots nearby.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez announced economic recovery measures, including the Venezuela Reconstruction Fund to finance rebuilding and provide six months of financial assistance to victims. The government also partnered with banks to offer mortgage subsidies up to 80 percent and waived property registration, leasing, and sales taxes.
Many friendly nations stand beside Venezuela as a national effort is underway to rebuild the country and restore hope.
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Commander of the Venezuelan Militia Force Nayade Lockiby Belmonte observes the night search operation on July 3 (local time). |
Medals forged through compassion
During field operations, the Vietnamese contingent was divided into rotating teams to ensure continuous search efforts. Lacking a dedicated logistics unit, responsibility for preparing meals was shared among sections on a rotating basis.
Cooking in a disaster zone with scarce fuel and widespread power outages was a major challenge, making wood-fired stoves the most practical option. Meals, primarily featuring vegetables brought from Vietnam like winter melon, pumpkin, and potatoes, were sometimes delivered before the rice was fully cooked to support field teams.
The hardships endured by Vietnam’s Uncle Ho’s soldiers were deeply appreciated by the host country. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez personally visited their base to present a letter of appreciation, and on July 6 (local time), a representative formally presented the “Hero of Venezuela” Medal to the contingent and its members for their outstanding disaster response.
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The Vietnamese contingent visits and presents relief gifts to residents affected by the earthquake. |
For the 124 members, the greatest reward was the unwavering trust, deep admiration, and heartfelt gratitude of the Venezuelan government and people toward Vietnam's people’s armed forces - true medals of compassion and humanitarian spirit.
They hope to one day return to Venezuela not as rescuers, but as visitors to the beautiful Caribbean nation renowned for its coastline and beauty queens.
Until we meet again, La Guaira!
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A representative of the Venezuelan Government presents the Second-Class “Hero of Venezuela” Medal to individual members of the Vietnamese contingent. |
Serving as a liaison officer, Lieutenant Colonel Raúl Serrano Chacón of the Venezuelan Presidential Guard Command was deeply impressed by the local generosity, from offering fruit and water to rescuers to showing profound gratitude for the contingent's medical care, relief supplies, and recovery efforts.
“What the Vietnamese contingent accomplished brought comfort to victims' families. Their effectiveness, professionalism, discipline, compassion, and solidarity were evident throughout their relief operations,” Lieutenant Colonel Raúl Serrano Chacón told a reporter of the People's Army Newspaper of Vietnam.
By Hoang Vu (from La Guaira, Venezuela)
Translated by Mai Huong