As the emergency moves from rescue to recovery, volunteers support families, rescue teams and local communities with supplies, logistics and practical assistance in Caracas, La Guaira and surrounding areas.
Brussels, Brussels, Belgium, 9th Jul 2026 — In the aftermath of the powerful double earthquake that struck Venezuela on 24 June, Scientology Volunteer Ministers continue to stand with affected families and emergency teams as the country moves from the first days of rescue into the longer and more demanding work of recovery.
The earthquakes hit north-central Venezuela in rapid succession, causing serious damage in Caracas, La Guaira and nearby coastal communities. What began as an urgent search-and-rescue response has now become a sustained humanitarian effort focused on shelter, water, hygiene, transport, emotional support and the organised distribution of essential supplies.
Reports from La Guaira show that many families are still living with the consequences of collapsed homes, damaged infrastructure and disrupted basic services. According to Associated Press reporting from Maiquetía, access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene remains a major concern for displaced residents. Other international reporting has described families staying in streets, parks and temporary shelters while damaged buildings are inspected and emergency teams continue their work.
Against this background, the Scientology Volunteer Ministers have continued to provide practical help where it is most needed. Their work includes receiving and organising donations, moving supplies to affected communities, assisting families in temporary locations, helping specialised personnel reach priority areas and supporting coordination between volunteers, rescue teams, medical personnel and local contacts.
Recent public reports have highlighted the continuing role of the Volunteer Ministers in the relief effort. Primicia reported that Venezuelan actress and humanitarian Ruddy Rodríguez returned to the country with a team of volunteers to help earthquake victims. Rodríguez stressed that the effort was not a brief visit, but part of a continued commitment to accompany families through the difficult days following the disaster.
“This is the beginning; it is not to be here for a little while and leave,” Rodríguez said, according to Primicia. The same report stated that nearly 400 volunteers were distributed between Caracas and La Guaira, working alongside Mexico’s Topos rescue teams, with volunteers also connected to the effort from Colombia, Costa Rica, Brazil, the United States, Israel, Spain and Mexico.
Rodríguez also explained that the volunteers are trained to serve in difficult conditions, including removing rubble, distributing goods and helping organise collection centres. She referred to earlier Volunteer Minister responses in major disasters, including Hurricane Katrina, Haiti, Chile, Japan and the 1999 Vargas tragedy in Venezuela.
A separate report by 2001Online placed part of the relief work in Macuto, in La Guaira, where Rodríguez joined efforts with the Scientology Volunteer Ministers of Venezuela. The report described assistance with the movement of essential supplies, distribution of aid in vulnerable sectors, transport support for specialised personnel and cooperation with rescue and medical teams.
For families who have lost homes, belongings or contact with normal daily life, such support can be decisive. In disaster areas, help often depends not only on the availability of goods, but on the ability to move them, organise them and place them in the hands of those who need them. Scientology Volunteer Ministers have therefore focused on the practical details that make relief possible: sorting donations, helping with transport, coordinating with field teams and assisting people facing uncertainty, grief and displacement.
The wider humanitarian response is also entering a new stage. The United Nations has launched a 296 million dollar plan intended to reach 1.3 million people over six months, reflecting the scale of continuing needs in shelter, health, water, sanitation and protection. As international rescue teams begin to leave, local communities and civil society groups remain central to the recovery ahead, often rotating volunteers from the same organizations so that that the gained knowledge and know-how stays and reinforces the relief activities.
The Scientology Volunteer Ministers programme was established by L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion, in the mid-1970s. Its motto, “Something can be done about it,” expresses the purpose of the movement: to bring effective, compassionate help to people facing hardship, confusion or disaster.
Volunteer Ministers are trained to provide practical assistance and spiritual support in cooperation with local communities, public bodies and other humanitarian actors. Over the years, they have served in the aftermath of earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, fires and other emergencies, working with people of all backgrounds and beliefs.
In Venezuela, that spirit is being expressed through steady service on the ground. Volunteers continue to help families, support emergency workers and assist with the organisation of materials and personnel as the country faces the next stage of recovery. Their work forms part of a broader response involving Venezuelan civil society, rescue organisations, medical teams, public authorities, private-sector contributors, faith communities and international agencies.
Ivan Arjona, representative of the Church of Scientology to the European Union, the OSCE, the Council of Europe and the United Nations, said the Venezuela response reflects the importance of solidarity when the first emergency headlines begin to fade.
“When the rescue phase passes, families still need water, shelter, hygiene, transport, information and human support,” Arjona said. “The work of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers in Venezuela is an expression of practical solidarity. It reflects a principle shared across Europe and beyond: human dignity is protected not only through declarations, but through organised help when people are rebuilding their lives.”
Arjona added that the international character of the response shows the value of cooperation in moments of crisis.
“No single institution can carry the full burden of a catastrophe of this scale,” he said. “Authorities, rescue teams, humanitarian organisations, faith communities, private donors and trained volunteers each have a role. What matters is that affected families receive timely, respectful and useful assistance.”
As Venezuela continues to recover from the earthquakes, the needs remain significant. Safe water, sanitation, temporary shelter, medical attention, protection for displaced families and emotional support are among the priorities reported by humanitarian actors. For the Volunteer Ministers, remaining present during this phase is part of the same commitment that brought them into the affected areas in the first place: to help restore order, dignity and hope where disaster has struck.
The Church of Scientology, its missions, groups and members are present throughout the European continent, where their recognition as charitable and bona fide religious communities continues to grow. Inspired by the works of L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology-supported humanitarian initiatives include drug prevention education, human rights awareness, moral education through The Way to Happiness, and Volunteer Minister service in times of need. Through education, prevention and community betterment, these initiatives contribute to civic responsibility and practical solidarity across Europe and beyond.
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