The President in Charge of the Republic, Delcy Rodríguez, declared a State of Emergency and activated the General Staff after two powerful earthquakes of 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale that shook Caracas and several other states in the country. During her live address, the president called for calm and national unity amidst the shock, while offering her condolences to the families of those who died as a result of the powerful earthquake.
As part of the contingency measures in response to the nearly 20 aftershocks recorded, the Major General of the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB) Juan Sulbarán was appointed as the sole authority of the General Staff to coordinate the attention to the emergency. Among the main disruptions are the temporary closure of the Simón Bolívar International Airport, the suspension of the metro and railway due to structural damages, the preventative disconnection of domestic gas service, and partial power outages in the capital city. School activities were also suspended.
Despite the reported power outages in Caracas, it was clarified that CORPOELEC has not issued any statement announcing a general service suspension. Finally, Rodríguez reaffirmed that the Venezuelan people have the full support of all state institutions and urged citizens to remain attentive to official reports.