Venezuela earthquake relief draws aid from Costa Rica and U.S. Marines

Costa Rican Red Cross volunteers and firefighters were honored by the San José municipality for rescuing Hernán Gil, a Venezuelan who survived a week trapped under rubble after the June 24 earthquakes. Their team, part of an international mission, located his voice and helped extract him alive.

The United States deployed the Marine Combat Logistics Battalion 8 aboard the amphibious ships USS Fort Lauderdale and USS San Antonio to the port of La Guaira. More than 1,300 Marines and sailors are providing water, fuel, medical support and distribution of emergency supplies, coordinating with joint U.S. task‑force elements as part of SOUTHCOM’s humanitarian response to the disaster.