The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation is responding immediately to the appeal from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and is mobilising €1 million in emergency aid for Venezuela through the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) in an initial response package aimed at addressing the most immediate needs.
As reported by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, Spain, through the AECID, contributes to the emergency response funds of the IFRC and the UN emergency office, which have already made 2 million Swiss francs and US$15 million, respectively, available for the response in Venezuela. The Minister reiterated that the consular emergency telephone lines of the Ministry and the Embassy of Spain in Caracas are fully operational.
Field hospital and humanitarian supplies
The Spanish Cooperation Agency has activated its response to the emergency in Venezuela, which includes the deployment of a team that travelled to the country this Friday to conduct an initial on-the-ground assessment and help identify the most urgent needs. Furthermore, the Embassy and the Spanish Cooperation Offices are facilitating direct dialogue and coordination tailored to the context.
The Agency is also monitoring the evolution of needs regarding the upcoming deployment of the START field hospital, as the Venezuelan authorities have already requested international medical support. At the same time, it is working with various suppliers to assess the availability of humanitarian supplies which, if necessary, could be dispatched from logistics hubs in Panama, Colombia or Spain.
Spain is participating in the response as part of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, which allows international aid to be coordinated with national authorities and all humanitarian actors present in the country, thereby avoiding duplication and ensuring that assistance reaches where it is most needed. Through this Mechanism, the deployment of the START field hospital in its EMT-1 format has been offered for the coming week. Close coordination is also being maintained to facilitate the possible deployment of additional rescue teams.
International coordination
AECID is maintaining close coordination with the Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Emergencies of the Ministry of the Interior and with the Ministry of Defence to organise the response. In parallel, the Agency remains in constant contact with the main humanitarian organisations, including the IFRC, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and specialised non-governmental organisations, to assess the evolution of the situation and coordinate possible actions.
Likewise, four of the NGOs that hold an emergency agreement with AECID (Spanish Red Cross, Action Against Hunger, Save the Children, and Caritas) are assessing whether to activate those agreements.
In addition to Spain's immediate response with a €1 million contribution to the emergency appeal launched by the IFRC, the Spanish response is complemented by sustained support for the main international humanitarian financing mechanisms. In 2026, Spain is contributing €4.5 million to the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF)—as part of a multi-year commitment of €9 million for the 2026-2027 period—which has already allocated US$15 million in response to this emergency; and €3.5 million to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) of the IFRC, which has already immediately mobilised 2 million Swiss francs to address this emergency.
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