Thousands of Venezuelans Mobilize Aid After Earthquake, Filling Gaps With 5-Hour Motorcycle Runs
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 27
Thousands of Venezuelans Mobilize Aid After Earthquake, Filling Gaps With 5-Hour Motorcycle Runs
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 27
Summary
Thousands of Venezuelan civilians rushed toward quake-hit areas, turning churches into donation centers and digging through rubble with shovels and bare hands.
A 26-year-old electronics student, Jesús Pacheco, rode 5 hours from Barquisimeto with medical supplies after social media posts showed collapsed buildings and asked motorcyclists for help.
Motorcycles became crucial because roads into the hardest-hit zones were clogged, allowing volunteers to reach places larger vehicles and stalled aid trucks could not.
In devastated La Guaira and beyond, the volunteer response has come to symbolize citizens filling urgent relief gaps one “grain of sand” at a time.