The Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) has delivered 1,000 hygiene kits to survivors of the recent powerful earthquakes in Venezuela.
In cooperation with the Venezuelan Red Cross, Kızılay teams distributed 500 hygiene kits to families staying at a tent camp in Playa Grande, one of the areas hardest hit in La Guaira state.
The remaining 500 kits were handed over to the La Guaira Governor's Office at Jose Maria Vargas Stadium, where relief supplies are being collected and organized for distribution to earthquake survivors.
The handover ceremony was attended by Türkiye's Ambassador to Caracas Naci Aydan Karamanoğlu, La Guaira Gov. Jose Alejandro Teran, Brig. Gen. Mehmet Bahtiyar, commander of the Turkish Armed Forces Humanitarian Aid Brigade, officials from Türkiye's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), and members of the National Medical Rescue Team (UMKE).
Speaking at the ceremony, Karamanoğlu said Kızılay had prepared the personal hygiene supplies and donated 1,000 boxes to earthquake survivors in La Guaira.
He also thanked the Yunus Emre Institute (YEE), noting that students attending courses at the institute helped pack the relief materials supplied by Kızılay.
"The whole of Türkiye stands in full solidarity with La Guaira, and our humanitarian assistance will continue," Karamanoğlu said. He added that the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) and AFAD would also provide additional humanitarian aid, stressing that all Turkish institutions stand with the people of Venezuela and La Guaira.
Karamanoğlu also thanked Kızılay for its contribution to the relief effort.
Teran expressed gratitude for what he described as solidarity demonstrated through concrete action.
"Thanks to this support, solidarity and affection, the bonds of friendship between Venezuela and Türkiye are growing stronger," he said.
Teran said the hygiene kits provided by Kızılay would be distributed in camps housing more than 10,000 earthquake survivors.
He added that Venezuelans expressed joy when they saw the Turkish and Venezuelan flags displayed together.
"They immediately say, 'Türkiye.' I tell them, 'Yes, our brothers and sisters in Türkiye sent these to us with great affection,'" Teran said.
Noting that rebuilding La Guaira would take months, Teran thanked the Turkish people and government for their support.
The hygiene kits carried the message: "With love and solidarity from the people of Türkiye to the people of Venezuela."
