Venezuela - Meeting Minutes, Earthquake Response, Caracas, July 6, 2026

Content

1. GENERAL SITUATION UPDATES

• Official casualty figures (as of July 5, 2026): 3,342 people are reported dead, 16,740 injured, and more than 17,345 affected, with these numbers continuing to rise. In addition, 6,462 people have been rescued.

2. LOGISTICAL UPDATES

• Challenges remain regarding the import and customs clearing processes for humanitarian aid. The GTL will continue to work with national authorities to obtain greater clarity on the requirements for the entry of humanitarian cargo, the operational definitions of humanitarian aid, and the customs procedures that humanitarian organizations must follow.
  • The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched a web form at “https://venezuelanoestasola.com,” which not only accepts monetary donations but also allows organizations to request clearance for donations arriving in Venezuela by air or sea. However, this website is intended for donations; organizations that require authorization and a letter from the Resident Coordinator to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs must submit their request using the GTL forms. 
  • The GTL, in coordination with OCHA, has extended the reporting requirement for the air transport of humanitarian cargo to all organizations (national, international, and those within the United Nations system) in order to consolidate this information daily, enabling OCHA to send a Verbal Note to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Organizations must submit the information contained in the form no later than 3:00 p.m. on the day before the flight’s arrival.

3. PRESENTATION OF RESULTS FROM THE SURVEY ON LOGISTICAL GAPS AND NEEDS

• The GTL conducted a survey on gaps and logistical needs open to organizations from July 3 to 5. 
• This exercise served as the basis for designing the Concept of Operations and defining the services to be provided to partners based on the gaps that were identified. 
• Some of the results of this exercise were presented, highlighting the following:
• The survey was completed by 52 organizations, of which 51.9% were international NGOs, 34.6% were national NGOs, 11.5% were UN agencies, and 1.9% were other actors.
• The states where the most organizations plan to operate are La Guaira (46 organizations), the Capital District (41), and Miranda (27); while states with fewer actors include Carabobo (8), Falcón (6), Yaracuy (6), and Aragua (5).
• The main sectors in which intervention is planned are Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene; Protection; Health; Food Security; and Shelter.
• Only 9 partners reported special logistical needs involving the cold chain and the transport of temperature-controlled medical supplies, as well as “dual-use” protective equipment, communications equipment, and dangerous goods.
• Among the main supplies that pose a challenge for import are those related to telecommunications, high-volume shelter items, and medical equipment and supplies.
• Some of the special needs reported by partners:
• Centralize official information on processes, permits, regulations, and imports.
• Strengthen interagency coordination to avoid duplication and streamline the response.
• Create or use a common platform or channel to share actions, priorities, and updates in real time.
• Promote shared warehouses and joint logistics solutions in affected areas.
• Maintain constant communication regarding operational changes, logistics corridors, and funding opportunities.
• Limitations on transportation, funding, and operational capacity.

4. PRESENTATION OF THE CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS

• The GTL Concept of Operations, developed to address the identified needs in warehousing, transportation, information management, and logistics coordination, was presented.
• The objective is to ensure the continuity of the supply chain and facilitate humanitarian access to affected populations.
• To this end, the World Food Program, as the lead agency of the Logistics Working Group, will make critical logistics services available to partners—free of charge and on a temporary basis—to help address the identified gaps and prevent potential bottlenecks in the logistics response. These services are distinct from those provided by the WFP through its Service Provision program. 
• The GTL’s Concept of Operations for the coming weeks can be summarized as follows:
• Caracas: logistics coordination and information management.
• Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía: storage and ground transportation.
• La Guaira: storage for dry and temperature-controlled cargo, as well as ground transportation.
• The Concept of Operations is a living document that will be constantly reviewed to adapt the GTL’s support to its partners in response to emerging operational needs. 

5. PRESENTATION OF FREE COMMON LOGISTICS SERVICES

• In accordance with the Concept of Operations, the GTL presented the no-cost common logistics services and how to access them.
• All details are provided in the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), which also outlines the various responsibilities of the parties involved. Partners wishing to use these services should consult this document. This document will be updated as new services become available and/or others are discontinued, in accordance with operational changes, partner needs, or available funding.
• Regarding the services currently available
  • Temporary storage in La Guaira. This service can be arranged without pickup or with pickup (storage with pickup). Temperature-controlled storage is available.
  • Ground transportation from La Guaira, Miranda, the Capital District, Aragua, and Carabobo to GTL warehouses. 
• Other transportation services may be considered, subject to the availability of funds, access, and operational capacity.
• Organizations may submit their requests through the online Service Request Form (SRF). Instructions for completing the form were also distributed.
• Partners were reminded that if they have difficulty securing storage or transportation in other locations, they should inform the Logistics Working Group, which will continuously monitor logistical gaps to adapt its response and support for partners. 

6. PARTNER UPDATES

• Given the lack of clarity regarding import procedures for NGOs, several international NGOs discussed possible alternatives, such as consigning humanitarian shipments to a local partner or identifying local suppliers. However, the lack of an official procedure for importing humanitarian aid hinders access to certain items for which demand has increased due to the response and which are not produced in sufficient quantities locally, as well as for those international NGOs that depend on the arrival of imported supplies to maintain their operations.
• ECHO reported on the preparation of a charter flight to support several partners in transporting humanitarian aid; operational preparations are being carried out through UNHRD/WFP, and the dates are subject to the authorities’ approval of operational permits.
• Given the lack of operational guarantees, organizations have not utilized mechanisms for the land-based entry of humanitarian cargo along the Colombian-Venezuelan border. Several interested organizations are awaiting greater clarity and formalization of the procedure.

7. RESOURCES

Partners were reminded of the available resources:

• LogIE for information related to infrastructure. Various modules of the system provide access to the GTL Concept of Operations, information on connectivity in the affected areas, etc.
• The GTL’s dedicated emergency website, which contains all relevant links and documents. The website features an integrated machine translation system that allows users to view GTL documents in English and other languages.
• On the website, you can find the forms for ground and air mobilization, as well as the registration form to receive communications related to the GTL.

CONTACTS