The World Food Programme (WFP) on Tuesday appealed for $50 million to provide food assistance to around 500,000 people in Venezuela for three months following two deadly earthquakes that devastated the country.
Stephanie Hochstetter, head of the UN agency in Venezuela, told reporters the twin quakes — which have killed more than 1,900 people and left tens of thousands missing — have weakened an already vulnerable population.
“The earthquakes have struck many families, some of which are already struggling to afford basic food. And now with livelihoods shattered, the infrastructure severely damaged, many face very real danger of being pushed further into hardship,” she said.
“What we have learned from other earthquakes of this magnitude is that when the spotlight fades, the needs do not,” Hochstetter added.
“And this is why we are calling from the onset for sustained support to ensure that families are not trapped in a prolonged cycle of food insecurity.”
Hochstetter said that, before last week’s devastating quakes, the WFP had enough food stored in the country to feed more than 10,000 families for two months, as well as stocks in Colombia and Panama.
UN figures from the start of 2026 showed that 7.9 million people in Venezuela already needed humanitarian assistance.
