Turkish president offers condolences to Venezuela after deadly twin earthquakes

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday extended condolences to Venezuela following two deadly earthquakes and said that Ankara stands by the people of the South American country.

“I sincerely share the grief of those who lost their lives in the two earthquakes that struck Venezuela, and extend my condolences and wishes for a speedy recovery to the friendly people and government of Venezuela,” Erdogan said on US social media platform X.

“As Türkiye, we stand by our Venezuelan friends during these painful and difficult days,” he added.

Late Wednesday, Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez declared a national state of emergency after powerful earthquakes struck the country’s northern Caribbean coast, causing widespread damage and triggering tsunami warnings across the region.

At least 32 people have died and some 700 people were injured, Rodriguez announced early Thursday.