Desmian Alexander Desmian Alexander
Manager, Resilience Programs

Published

July 01, 2026

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Following catastrophic doublet earthquakes that devastated northern Venezuela, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation convened a private sector coordination call on June 30, 2026, bringing together more than 240 organizations to mobilize support and align response efforts. 

Senior officials from the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), the Venezuelan American Chamber of Commerce (VenAmCham), and Airlink provided operational updates and reinforced the importance of coordinated, informed private sector engagement. 

Featured speakers included: 

  • Ryan Shrum, Senior Bureau Official, Bureau of Disaster and Humanitarian Response, U.S. Department of State 
  • Iris Pilika, Senior Compliance Officer, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), U.S. Department of the Treasury 
  • Sharon Benzoni, Senior Sanctions Policy Advisor, Policy Division, U.S. Department of the Treasury  
  • Anne Peacock, Deputy Assistant Director, Policy Division, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), U.S. Department of the Treasury 
  • Sebastian Rhodes-Stampa, Chief of Emergency Response, UN OCHA 
  • Amaru Liendo, President of the Board of Directors, Venezuelan American Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VenAmCham) 
  • Stephanie Steege, Vice President, Humanitarian Programs, Airlink  

The Scale of the Disaster 

Catastrophic doublet earthquakes struck northern Venezuela on June 24, 2026 — the most powerful seismic event recorded in the country in over a century, and very likely the most devastating natural disaster the country has faced in the same period. Confirmed impacts so far include: 

Casualties and displacement: 1,700+ deaths, 5,000+ injuries, 15,000+ people displaced, 22,000+ treated, and up to 68,000 reported missing, though missing-person figures remain unconfirmed and fluctuating. 

Infrastructure and access: La Guaira sustained the heaviest damage; roads and power are nearly 90% restored, but movement between Caracas and La Guaira remains constrained by damaged roads, limited airport access, and near-capacity warehouses. 

Health and transport: 38 hospitals are reported destroyed, aftershocks continue to complicate operations, and one runway is operational at Simón Bolívar International Airport pending commercial certification. 

Response status: Live rescues were still occurring during the call, even as operations began shifting toward recovery and stabilization. 

U.S. Government Response 

The U.S. Department of State is leading a whole-of-government response that has mobilized more than $300 million in committed support: 

  • $200 million in International Humanitarian Assistance Awards supporting food, health, shelter, child protection, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) 
  • $100 million directed to OCHA's Venezuela Humanitarian Fund 
  • Deployment of a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) and urban search and rescue teams from Fairfax County, LA County, and Miami 
  • Activation of a new Starlink MOU — the first of its kind — providing 1,600 Starlink units to enhance NGO communications on the ground 
  • An MOU between a Miami-based NGO and Walmart, established within 36 hours, facilitating goods from the Venezuelan diaspora to those in need; three shipments have already been delivered 

"There's a strong commercial intersection here. If there's any use case where you're best likely to be involved — in the energy sector, the water sector, or any other sectors — please contact those of us here at State Department. We'd love to see where you fit into this response." Companies in the energy, water, housing, and healthcare sectors are encouraged to contact the State Department directly to explore how their capabilities can support recovery and reconstruction.  

OFAC and Sanctions Compliance 

On June 25, 2026, OFAC issued General License 60 (GL60), authorizing a broad range of earthquake relief-related transactions for 120 days. Authorized activities include: 

  • Food, medicine, water, health, and sanitation services 
  • Temporary shelter, search and rescue, and rubble removal 
  • Stabilization or repair of roads and critical infrastructure 
  • Rebuilding of hospitals and schools 
  • Building safety inspections 

Key compliance guidance: 

  • GL60 provides a clear, time-limited pathway for companies to support earthquake relief without a separate OFAC license — as long as activities are directly tied to humanitarian response and do not involve restricted parties or otherwise prohibited transactions 
  • Venezuela is not subject to broad trade-based sanctions, but activities involving specially designated persons or Venezuelan government entities remain restricted 
  • Crowdfunding platforms directing funds to humanitarian relief (e.g., GoFundMe) are also authorized under GL60 
  • Treasury cannot advise on Venezuelan law; companies with specific cash assistance or conflict-of-law questions should contact OFAC directly 

 

International Humanitarian Coordination 

UN OCHA's Sebastian Rhodes-Stampa reported that 78 international teams are currently operating in Venezuela, including 65 urban search and rescue teams with approximately 2,500 personnel from the U.S., Switzerland, France, Qatar, the UK, Spain, Colombia, and others. 

The urban search and rescue phase is winding down; the response is transitioning into a sustained humanitarian phase expected to last weeks to months. OCHA's Connecting Business Initiative (CBI) has a private sector focal point on the ground and is ready to facilitate cash and in-kind contributions. 

Local Business and Private Sector Perspective 

VenAmCham Board Chair Amaru Liendo described conditions on the ground in La Guaira — the hardest-hit area — where water, electricity, and health infrastructure were already severely constrained before the earthquake. The disaster has dramatically worsened an already fragile situation. 

Additional challenges include: 

  • Warehouses receiving donated goods are near capacity 
  • Transport between La Guaira and Caracas is severely hampered by damaged roads and a compromised airport 
  • The Venezuelan government is controlling incoming donations at the airport, creating uncertainty for corporate donors about whether goods reach intended recipients 

VenAmCham is supporting United Way Venezuela (locally known as Dividendo Voluntario para la Comunidad), a trusted organization with more than 60 years of history in the country. 

Humanitarian Logistics 

Airlink Vice President Stephanie Steege outlined the organization's response: 

Airlink activated within 24 hours of the earthquake, engaging United Airlines, American Airlines, Amazon, Copa Airlines, Avianca, and others. To date: 

  • At least 20 vetted nonprofit organizations are activated 
  • Airlink has facilitated flights for more than 85 responders across 10 organizations, saving more than $85,000 in transportation costs 
  • A 2–3 month humanitarian air bridge is being planned to deliver medical supplies, hygiene materials, and shelter items that cannot be procured at scale in-country 

Key challenges include Caracas airport closure to commercial flights, customs and import permit complexity, and the high cost of logistics in a country where many organizations have not previously operated. 

 

Top Takeaways  

Collectively, participants were interested in bypassing logistical, regulatory, and legal barriers to get critical support into Venezuela. Some are organizing physical supply drops (medical devices and pallets of goods), legally clearing financial pathways (crowdfunding and cash assistance), and coordinating corporate philanthropy so that aid reaches the people who need it most. 

 

Speakers reinforced several critical principles throughout the call: 

 

  1. Coordinate before you act. Do not send unsolicited goods or arrive unannounced. Work through established channels with State, OCHA, or trusted NGOs. 
  1. Cash is most effective. Financial contributions allow responders already on the ground to procure what is needed without burdening supply chains. 
  1. Source locally where possible. Purchasing supplies locally is faster, less costly, and supports the existing marketplace. 
  1. Invest in the long haul. This disaster will require sustained support well beyond the initial emergency phase. 
  1. Leverage non-financial assets. Communications, data visualization, storytelling, matching donations, and donated airline miles are all valuable contributions. 
  1. Logistics expertise is urgently needed. Companies with capabilities in warehousing, inventory management, and freight have a critical role to play. The bottleneck is not just what is being donated — it is the ability to store, sort, and move it effectively. 

 

Private sector capability gaps identified: housing/modular construction, debris removal, water and sanitation, healthcare infrastructure, and warehousing/logistics management. Companies with relevant capabilities are encouraged to contact the State Department's DHR or EB Bureau. 

 Next Steps 

  • For response updates, in-kind offers, capabilities, or engagement questions, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation will continue updating its resource page and can be reached at resilience@uschamber.com. 

 

  • U.S. State Department coordination with business community: Companies with capabilities, in-kind offers, or questions about how to engage can email: PSDisasterResponse@state.gov 

 

 

 

 

About the author

Desmian Alexander

Desmian Alexander

Desmian (Des) Alexander is manager of global resilience programs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

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