Cuando se cumplen seis días del terremoto doble que azotó varios estados de Venezuela, la atención humanitaria comienza a centrarse en la urgencia de alimento y techo. En el estado de La Guaira, la “zona cero” de la tragedia, decenas de miles de personas quedaron en la calle.

La escasez de comida es “generalizada”, los servicios básicos se paralizaron y la conectividad está interrumpida, advirtió este martes el Alto Comisionado de las Naciones Unidas para los Refugiados (ACNUR).

“Estamos durmiendo en el piso”, dijo a la AFP Jenny Tortoza en Catia la Mar, en La Guaira, donde cientos de edificios colapsaron y las esperanzas de hallar sobrevivientes se desvanecen.

La ONU estima que hay unos 50.000 desaparecidos, mientras la NASA calcula que 58.000 edificios resultaron dañados o destruidos por los terremotos de magnitud 7,2 y 7,5 del 24 de junio, de los más violentos registrados en la historia de Latinoamérica.

“Las tensiones comunitarias van en aumento, ya que el acceso a la ayuda sigue estando limitado”, indicó el ACNUR sobre la ira de algunas víctimas por la lenta y escasa ayuda del gobierno de este país sumido en una crisis profunda.

“Aquí dan provisiones pero a veces se matan por la comida (…), esto es como una gallera (…), ayer se entraron a golpes, es una locura”, comentó a la AFP Daniela Armas, de 18 años, suturada en un pie y temerosa de volver a su apartamento agrietado en Catia La Mar.

“La falta de organización es horrible. Al principio era todo muy bien, pero después empezó una mala organización que primero los propios militares agarraban sus cosas y después nosotros las sobras”, relató por su parte Yohana Álvarez, vendedora ambulante de 45 años en la misma zona.

La alarma por el riesgo de epidemias

Al escenario actual, se suma el riesgo de epidemias. El portavoz de la Organización Mundial de la Salud, Christian Lindmeier, advirtió de la “presión extrema” sobre los servicios de salud y el riesgo “de enfermedades prevenibles mediante vacunación, como el sarampión, la difteria y la tos ferina”.

“Faltaría más ayuda”, dice Diorjailis Escalona, médico de 23 años, quien pese a sentirse “derrumbada” ayuda como voluntaria y agradece el apoyo internacional con rescatistas, medicinas y alimentos.

Para acelerar el ingreso de equipos y suministros, los Marines estadounidenses pusieron el lunes de nuevo en operación el puerto de La Guaira, que había quedado fuera de servicio junto con el principal aeropuerto de Venezuela.

En el área de depósitos del puerto funciona ahora una morgue improvisada, constató la AFP.

En tanto, el gobierno militarizó La Guaira e impuso el trámite de un permiso para acceder a la zona de desastre.

Un total de 27 países han movilizado cerca de 40 equipos de búsqueda y rescate, que este martes seguían escarbando entre amasijos de hierro y concreto.

Son más de 2.000 efectivos y personal junto con más de 160 perros, según Gianluca Rampolla, coordinador de Naciones Unidas en Venezuela.

La ONU, agregó, suministrará 10.000 bolsas mortuorias, aunque espera que el balance final sea inferior. Sin embargo, la ventana crítica de 72 horas para hallar sobrevivientes cerró el sábado.

La ONU calcula siete millones de damnificados y daños daños materiales por 6.700 millones de dólares, 6% del PIB del país petrolero.

Comenzó la carrera contrarreloj para recuperar a los fallecidos

Por otra parte, los dos hornos del único cementerio público de Caracas trabajan a plena capacidad y un olor a muerte se percibe en los alrededores.

Leé también: El desesperado pedido de la mamá del nene argentino que quedó atrapado entre los escombros tras los terremotos en Venezuela

Decenas de personas esperan por un turno para sus seres queridos. Entre viernes y sábado se oficiaron de 60 a 70 entierros diarios.

Un grito de “¡Mamá, te amo!” se sobrepuso al llanto y el ruido de las palas mezclando cemento.

Cuando los trabajadores comenzaron a cerrar el nicho de su sobrino, Sergio Vergara cayó de rodillas. Fue él quien lo encontró junto a toda su familia en un edificio colapsado de La Guaira.

“Fue una experiencia horrible, sacarlo a él, a sus hijos”, expresó este hombre de 42 años.

(Con información de AFP)

Pope Leo XIV issued an extraordinary last-minute plea Tuesday to a breakaway traditionalist Catholic group to abandon plans to consecrate four bishops without Vatican approval, warning the move was a «sin of extreme gravity» and could deepen a decades-old split with the Church.

In a letter addressed to the Rev. Davide Pagliarani, leader of the Society of St. Pius X, Leo urged the group to reconsider before Wednesday’s planned ceremony in Econe, Switzerland, saying it would place the bishops involved outside the Church’s communion.

«I plead with you and ask you with all my heart: please turn back!» the pope wrote.

POPE LEO SENDS UNMISTAKABLE MESSAGE ON IMMIGRANTS DURING VISIT HONORING AMERICA’S FIRST SAINT

Under church law, consecrating bishops without papal approval is considered a schismatic act and carries automatic excommunication for both the bishops being ordained and the bishop performing the ceremony.

«I urge you to consider carefully the spiritual good of the faithful, because the schismatic act you are about to undertake would deprive them of the licit, and in some cases, even valid reception of the sacraments,» Leo wrote.

Pope Leo XIV delivers his message as he celebrates a Mass where he confers the pallium on newly appointed metropolitan archbishops, in St. Peter’s Basilica, at the Vatican, Monday, June 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

The dispute marks the first major challenge of Leo’s pontificate. Since becoming pope, the American-born pontiff has emphasized healing divisions within the Church, including tensions with traditionalist Catholics who favor the old Latin Mass.

POPE LEO XIV JOKES YOUNG SPANIARDS WOULD PICK BAD BUNNY OVER HIM DURING MADRID VISIT THIS WEEKEND

The Society of St. Pius X was founded after the Second Vatican Council, rejecting many of the church’s reforms, including allowing Mass to be celebrated in local languages instead of Latin. The group has long argued that it is preserving authentic Catholic teaching.

The society defended its decision to consecrate four new bishops, saying there is a «state of necessity» requiring it to provide bishops for its faithful.

The planned ceremony echoes a similar confrontation in 1988, when the group’s founder, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, consecrated four bishops without papal approval. The Vatican responded by excommunicating Lefebvre and the newly ordained bishops, though those excommunications were lifted in 2009 as part of an effort to restore relations.

Pope Leo XIV leaves after a Mass where he conferred the pallium on the newly appointed metropolitan archbishops, in St. Peter’s Basilica, at the Vatican, Monday, June 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Despite years of dialogue with the Vatican, the SSPX remains outside the church’s formal structure.

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The society has continued to expand in recent decades, reporting hundreds of priests, seminarians and religious members across dozens of countries, making it one of the largest traditionalist movements operating outside the Catholic Church’s official authority.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Tuesday to announce the Republican Party will host its very first «Midterm Convention» this fall in Texas.

The two-day event, scheduled to take center stage on Sept. 9 and Sept. 10 in Dallas, aims to celebrate the «great American comeback» and highlight the ongoing achievements of the administration’s America First Agenda, the president said.

«It will be in Dallas, Texas — One of my favorite places in the World,» Trump wrote in the announcement. «It has never been done before, and will be a truly Historic Event.»

MIDTERM ALARM BELLS: DEMOCRATS FACE STEEP FAVORABILITY DEFICIT DESPITE ELECTION GAINS

In his post, the president touted a list of policy victories and economic milestones that will serve as the focal point of the convention, including eliminating taxes on tips, overtime, and Social Security, as well as securing stronger borders and safer communities.

BIDEN JUDGE OVERRULED ON KEY TRUMP IMMIGRATION POLICY

The two-day event will take place Sept. 9-10 in Dallas. (iStock)

He also highlighted American energy dominance alongside dropping oil prices, progress on denuclearizing Iran, and driving affordability for Americans.

«We are delivering on the promises that politicians talked about for decades, but never got done,» Trump wrote.

Trump said September’s midterm GOP event will be a «rally like none other.» (Tierney L. Cross/Getty Images, File)

The president said the «rally like none other,» will feature «lots of great entertainment» and spotlight the nation’s first responders, innovators, entrepreneurs, manufacturers and job creators.

National political conventions, where party delegates from around the country formally nominate their party’s presidential candidates, normally take place during presidential election years.

But with Republicans aiming to protect their narrow control of the Senate and their razor-thin House majority in this year’s elections, Trump announced last September that the GOP would hold a convention ahead of the midterms «in order to show the great things we have done» since recapturing the White House.

The Republican National Committee in January approved a change to the party’s rules that would allow Chair Joe Gruters to convene a convention during a midterm election year.

In a statement after Trump’s announcement on Tuesday, Gruters emphasized, «This historic Midterm Convention will highlight President Trump’s many accomplishments and unwavering commitment to restoring America.

«This convention will be a Trumpapalooza, where we will showcase the America First agenda, which has delivered the largest tax cut in history and made communities safer. President Trump will unite Republicans around our shared vision, build momentum, and deliver an incredible convention for our Party,» Gruters added, as he repeated a description of the confab he first used in January.

And Gruters told Fox News Digital earlier this year, «I think the President of the United States is our secret weapon.»

But the president’s approval ratings remain well underwater, with many Americans giving him a big thumbs down on the job he’s doing with the economy and the issue of affordability.

Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martin addresses party members at the DNC’s  summer meeting, on Aug. 25, 2025, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Paul Steinhauser – Fox News )

Democratic National Committee (DNC) Director of Rapid Response Kendall Witmer told Fox News Digital on Tuesday evening, «The American people can’t afford their bills or to fill up at the pump because of Donald Trump, and Republicans’ response is to throw a multi-million dollar televised celebration for Trump that will only remind Americans of his failed promise to them and tie already flailing Republican swing-seat candidates to a historically unpopular president.»

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The DNC, which significantly trails the RNC in fundraising, last year considered a midterm convention, but earlier this year decided against going forward with holding what is an expensive event.

Witmer emphasized that «Democrats are already hitting the trail and speaking directly with American voters about our plans to cut costs and make health care affordable.»