Pope Leo on Sunday conveyed his solidarity with those in Venezuela affected by the twin earthquakes that struck the country earlier this week, offering prayers and words of support during the Angelus prayer in Rome.
Speaking in Spanish to worshippers gathered for the weekly devotion, the pontiff said: "I wish to express my closeness to the Venezuelan sisters and brothers affected by the recent earthquakes that caused numerous victims and injuries." He also publicly thanked rescuers and everyone who has been assisting Venezuelans in the wake of the disaster.
The pope has long ties to Spanish-speaking South America, having spent decades as a missionary and bishop in Peru before his elevation to the papacy. He is scheduled to undertake a significant tour of southern Latin America in November, which is expected to include visits to Peru, Argentina and Uruguay.
On the diplomatic and humanitarian front, the European Union has moved to support relief efforts in Venezuela. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said in a post on X that the bloc had mobilised 5 million euros in emergency assistance for communities hit by the earthquakes. Kallas also said she had spoken with Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, to express Europe's solidarity with the Venezuelan people.
Kallas stated that the EU had activated the European Civil Protection Mechanism and that several member states were rapidly deploying search-and-rescue teams, firefighters and medical personnel to assist affected areas. She added that the EU's Copernicus satellite system is being used to map the damage and help direct assistance to the locations most in need.
The statements from both the pontiff and the EU official reflect parallel religious and institutional responses: the pope offering spiritual support and gratitude toward first responders, and the EU coordinating financial, logistical and technical resources to aid rescue and relief operations.
Information available in the public statements focuses on immediate aid and mapping efforts, and highlights international engagement in the early stages of the response to the earthquakes.