Venezuela Thanks Putin for ‘Solidarity and Support’ After Deadly Quakes

June 25, 2026 Caracas, Venezuela after two powerful earthquakes struck on June 24, 2026. Juan Barreto / AFP Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez on Thursday expressed “deep gratitude” to Russia’s Vladimir Putin for expressing his condolences after a pair of powerful earthquakes rocked the South American country, killing at least 164 people and injuring nearly 1,000. Wednesday night’s 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes were among the strongest to strike Venezuela in more than a century. In a letter addressed to Rodriguez, Putin expressed his “solidarity and support to the friendly people of Venezuela in this difficult time.” On her Telegram channel, Rodriguez said Putin’s letter “reaffirms our strategic ties.” She issued similar notes of gratitude for the condolences and phone calls received from other world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump. Earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia stands ready to “promptly review” a request for assistance from Venezuela, but noted that Putin and Rodriguez do not have immediate plans to speak by phone. Meanwhile, Russia’s Embassy in Caracas said it was working to determine whether any Russians were among the victims of the earthquakes. No Russian diplomats or their family members were harmed, and the embassy itself was not damaged, the diplomatic mission said. Read more about: Venezuela , Natural disasters , Putin Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more News Analysis As Putin’s Allies Are Threatened, He Meets the Moment with Silence Analysts say his silence reflects Russia’s focus on the war in Ukraine and hesitancy to provoke the U.S. — but it risks eroding trust in Moscow. 4 Min read Putin Reaffirms Support for Venezuela's Maduro Amid U.S. Tensions The call came after the United States seized an oil tanker off Venezuelan coast. 2 Min read Putin Congratulates Venezuela’s Maduro on Election Victory The Kremlin leader said he was “confident” Nicolas Maduro would continue to help bolster Russian-Venezuelan relations. 1 Min read Putin, Maduro Discussed Venezuela's Debt to Russia Last Week In November 2017, Russia agreed to restructure Venezuela's sovereign debt of $3.15 billion, with repayments over 10 years