The US offers millions for leaders of the cartel that floods the streets with drugs

The ARM Isla Holbox and ARM Huasteco ships docked at the port of La Guaira, Venezuela, after eight days of navigation. The mission, ordered by President Claudia Sheinbaum, aims to deliver humanitarian assistance to the Venezuelan people affected by the earthquakes of June 24.

Load and capacity

The journey of 1,969 nautical miles (more than 3,600 kilometers) transported 388.4 tons of supplies. It includes food, bottled water, hygiene items, medicines and four water treatment plants capable of producing a thousand liters of purified water per hour each.

Personnel and coordination

One hundred elements of the Navy’s Emergency Response Brigades (BRE) will participate in the landing, installation and operation of the plants. They will also support the organization and distribution of aid, in coordination with Venezuelan authorities.

The Secretary of the Navy (Semar) indicated that, although the immediate care phase has already been overcome, recovery efforts continue to restore essential services. The help sent seeks to strengthen that stage.

This operation was possible thanks to the joint work between Semar, the Foreign Ministry, institutions, companies, foundations and civil organizations. The federal government reiterated its commitment to international solidarity and the construction of a more resilient region in the face of natural disasters.

The Venezuelan authorities updated this Monday the death toll after the two earthquakes on June 24. The new report, released by Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly, indicates that 4,561 fatalities have been recorded. The number of injured has remained at 16,740 for a week.

Disaster data

Most of the deaths occurred in the coastal state of La Guaira, 20 kilometers north of Caracas. After the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes, which occurred 39 seconds apart, 1,254 aftershocks have been recorded, according to the United States Geological Survey. They were the strongest earthquakes in the country in more than a century.

The report details that 856 buildings were damaged and 190 completely collapsed. More than 1,600 additional structures — bridges, roads — were also affected. The government estimates that tens of thousands of people lost their homes. Currently, more than 20 thousand remain in 107 temporary shelters installed in Caracas, La Guaira and the state of Miranda.

A loss in Congress

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of President Donald Trump, died Saturday night after a brief and sudden illness. He was 71 years old. His office confirmed the news in a statement posted on social media.

“The family appreciates the prayers and asks for privacy at this difficult time,” the text stated. No further details were immediately given.

Hours later, a second statement revealed the preliminary cause: an aortic dissection resulting from arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to the District of Columbia Medical Examiner. This is a rupture of the aorta due to hardening of the arteries.

Trump, who spoke frequently with Graham, told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the senator called him on Saturday after returning from a trip to Ukraine. “It sounded a little tired, but perfect,” he said. The president ordered flags to fly at half-mast until next Saturday.

Graham, a former Air Force attorney, served three decades in Congress. He was a foreign policy hawk and advised Trump on issues such as Iran and Russia. On Friday he had announced an agreement to advance sanctions against Russia. As chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, he was key in Trump’s second term, when Republicans pushed laws with a slim 53-47 majority in the House.