Acting President Delcy Rodríguez praised the Israeli rescue delegation working in Venezuela's earthquake zone, saying the team's members are "highly skilled professionals" with a "high professional level." The remarks, reported by Amichai Stein, mark the first positive official statement toward Israel by a Venezuelan head of state in 27 years.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez on Friday evening publicly called the Israeli rescue team working in Venezuela's earthquake zone "highly skilled professionals," according to Amichai Stein. The remark, reported around 18:39 Jerusalem time, goes a step further than her earlier praise at 17:55 Jerusalem, when she thanked the team for its professionalism and infrastructure work. This is the first positive official statement toward Israel by a Venezuelan head of state in 27 years.
At 17:55 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported Rodríguez's initial gratitude, citing her acknowledgment of the team's infrastructure rehabilitation and survivor assessments. At the same timestamp, a separate thread item attributed to Israeli media quoted Rodríguez crediting the Jewish community for facilitating the team's arrival. The praise has now been repeated and deepened, consistent across multiple sources including Amichai Stein, indicating a deliberate shift rather than a fleeting remark.
As The Zioneer has reported, the 16-person delegation from Magen, Ready for Rescue, and SmartAID deployed on Mon Jun 29 (14:25) despite no diplomatic ties since 2009. The backdrop includes the fall of the Maduro regime in 2026 (The Zioneer, Tue Jun 30), followed by a transitional government under Rodríguez that has overseen unprecedented U.S. coordination. The context of Venezuela's long anti-Israel posture under Chávez and Maduro—who aligned with Iran and Hezbollah—makes the shift notable, though no steps toward restoring relations have been announced.
It remains unclear whether this praise reflects a broader policy change or is limited to the humanitarian context. No official follow-up has been issued, and diplomatic relations remain severed. The Zioneer continues to monitor for any formal statements on future ties.
6 developments
- DevelopingVenezuela’s vice president says international rescue teams en route after earthquake
- DevelopingVenezuela rescues survivor 106 hours after earthquake, interim president announces
- DevelopingIDF vanguard of Israeli relief mission lands in quake-hit Venezuela
- StrongIsrael's envoy to Venezuela appeals to public in Spanish ahead of aid mission arrival
Source and signal
- Internal intake