Venezuela - Meeting Minutes, Earthquake Response, Caracas, July 27, 2026

Content

1. LOGISTICS UPDATES

1. Notification of Receipt of Humanitarian Aid by Air and Sea

• It has been confirmed with national authorities that the reporting mechanisms for the air and sea transport of humanitarian loading remain in effect:
• Report to the website of the Venezuelan Ministry of the People’s Power for Foreign Affairs and International Trade: estasola.com. After this registration, the focal points are contacted to receive the authorization code for landing/berthing. If the air operator is in the process of obtaining this permit, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requests that they be notified once the focal point has been contacted, in order to avoid duplication.
• Report to the GTL using the forms for maritime and air loading; this information is consolidated daily and sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs via OCHA. 
• The GTL has compiled a set of questions to be forwarded to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to clarify any doubts regarding the notification of humanitarian cargo shipments. The document will be shared with partners, and if they have any additional questions they believe should be included, they may submit them to the GTL for inclusion.

2. Status of Maiquetía International Airport (CCS)

• After confirming with the authorities, it was reported that the Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía has closed Runway 10R/28L for repairs from July 27 (1100 UTC) to August 2 (2300 UTC). Only official and military rotary-wing aircraft will be permitted for operations; all other flights are being rerouted to the airports in Maracay and Valencia. Therefore, organizations are advised to review their logistics plans in light of this new route.

3. Compilation of Data on the Air Transport of Humanitarian Cargo

• The GTL continues to periodically update the registry of air shipments of humanitarian aid, with the latest update as of July 26 showing that 1,388 metric tons of humanitarian aid were transported via 44 flights by 22 organizations. This dashboard is published weekly on the GTL’s dedicated website.

2. IMPACCT UPDATE

• The floor was given to the Coordinator of the IMPACCT Working Group, who presented the preliminary results of the survey “Humanitarian Response to the Earthquake in Venezuela: Customs and Import Challenges,” released on July 23. The survey aims to identify key messages and define necessary advocacy actions regarding imports and customs in response to the challenges raised by partners during the emergency.
• Among the main difficulties identified through this survey were the following:

1. The need to strengthen guidance on import procedures;
2. Import of medicines and medical supplies;
3. Lack of specific protocols for private donations;
4. Insufficient access to consolidated information.

• Furthermore, among the solutions and recommendations proposed by some partners through the survey were:

1. Establish a clear and official emergency procedure;
2. Create rapid authorization mechanisms;
3. Strengthen coordination with ministries and authorities;
4. Digitize processes;
5. Define exemptions and special provisions for humanitarian aid;
6. Strengthen operational support and guidance for organizations.

• IMPACCT invited partners to complete this survey in order to broaden the scope of the analysis that can be conducted.
• If you have additional questions about customs, please contact Virginie Bohl, IMPACCT Group Coordinator, via email at impacct.2021@gmail.com or virginie.bohl@wfp.org. Partners can also use these email addresses to request to be added to the WhatsApp group on this topic.

3. FREE SHARED LOGISTICS SERVICES

• An update was provided on the free shared logistics services offered to partners to optimize the emergency response, specifically:
• 1,508 m³ of humanitarian loading was received at the Working Group’s warehouses in La Guaira. 
• 271 metric tons were cleared via land transport services.
• A total of 12 NGOs and United Nations agencies accessed these services.
• Partners were reminded that any questions regarding shared logistics services can be directed to venezuela.clustercargo@wfp.org. Additionally, further details on the logistics services can be found in the descriptive infographic and the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

4. TELECOMMUNICATIONS UPDATES

• The Telecommunications Coordinator for the emergency response reported on the installation of cell phone charging kiosks at the Vargas Sports Complex, with a capacity of 48 connection points for mobile devices to benefit the affected population. This equipment was donated by the Telefónica Group.
• As for the transition to solar power, this has been completed for the telecommunications systems at both the Vargas Sports Complex and the Cesar Nieves Stadium, which are now operating independently of the electrical grid.
• Furthermore, the internet system is currently being evaluated to benefit the communities at the Caraballeda Golf Course.

5. MEMBER UPDATE

• Hulo announced that it will hold a follow-up meeting on July 29 to evaluate mechanisms for coordinating the transport of humanitarian cargo from Colombia to Venezuela. This invitation will be circulated via the GTL mailing list.
• At least three organizations have expressed interest in transporting cargo from Colombia. However, it is necessary to analyze key operational aspects—such as the volume of the cargo, the time required, and the proposed timeline for this transport—in order to assess its logistical and operational feasibility. Furthermore, the GTL reiterated its willingness to support such initiatives, provided they are directly linked to earthquake response activities.

CONTACTS