Acting President Delcy Rodríguez publicly thanked the Israeli search-and-rescue delegation that arrived Wednesday, calling it "highly trained and professional" during a televised address. The mission was coordinated via Venezuela's Jewish community, Rodríguez said, marking the latest direct contact between the two countries since diplomatic ties were severed in 2009.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez publicly thanked the Israeli search-and-rescue delegation that arrived in Venezuela on Wednesday, praising their professionalism in a televised address. In remarks aired Friday, Rodríguez called the team a "highly specialized and professional group from Israel" and credited the local Jewish community for facilitating the mission, specifically thanking Rabbi Cohen. The acknowledgment — the first positive statement by a Venezuelan leader toward Israel in 27 years — marks the strongest official endorsement of the Israeli mission to date and signals a continued thaw in relations frozen since Hugo Chávez severed ties in 2009.
The Zioneer began tracking Israeli relief efforts from the early hours of the earthquake response. On June 29, we reported a 16-person private-sector delegation from Magen, Ready for Rescue, and SmartAID deploying in Valencia and La Guaira. By July 2, an IDF vanguard had landed in Caracas, as the desk reported at 08:47 Jerusalem, with social media already indicating drone-based search operations. Our 17:55 thread on Friday captured the rapid progression of Rodríguez's remarks: initial reports (drawn from Ariel Kahana/Israel Hayom) described her praising the team's infrastructure and survivor assessment work; subsequent versions, citing Amichai Stein and Amit Segal (N12), added her acknowledgment of the Jewish community's role and her specific thanks to Rabbi Cohen. The latest version, attributed to Abu Ali Express, frames the exchange as the first official acknowledgment of direct contact between Venezuelan and Israeli authorities since 2009.
As The Zioneer reported on June 30, Israel's diplomat to Venezuela, Yoad Magen, issued a public appeal in Spanish ahead of the mission's arrival. The delegation's deployment occurred without formal diplomatic ties, with coordination running through the Jewish community — a channel Rodríguez herself highlighted. Earlier this week, on June 29, the acting president announced the rescue of a survivor named Aaron Levy Cantio 106 hours after the quake, thanking all international groups involved.
The exact size and scope of the Israeli government delegation have not been detailed by Jerusalem. It also remains unclear whether Rodríguez's remarks signal any formal shift in diplomatic policy or whether further direct contacts are planned.
6 developments
- DevelopingVenezuela’s vice president says international rescue teams en route after earthquake
- DevelopingIDF vanguard of Israeli relief mission lands in quake-hit Venezuela
- DevelopingFirst Israeli rescue mission departs for Venezuela
- DevelopingVenezuela rescues survivor 106 hours after earthquake, interim president announces
Source and signal
- Internal intake