- The Guardian
- Issue #2199
Australia must send more aid to Venezuela
The Australian government has pledged $2 million in humanitarian assistance to Venezuela following the devastating earthquakes of 24 June 2026.
It includes emergency food, shelter, clean water and sanitation, transport, storage, and coordination for first responders. As part of the package, it will send psychosocial care and medical assistance.
This pales in comparison to India’s Operation Amistad, which within 48 hours had deployed a 41-member Indian Army medical team to strengthen Venezuela’s overwhelmed healthcare system.
India’s right-wing nationalist government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shown more support to Interim President Delcy Rodríguez, and the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), than Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. India and Australia are the same distance from Venezuela, plus Australia has a noted reputation for international aid. Why has Australia offered so little?
India has demonstrated it has the capacity to cover relief operations in response to major international disasters and has pledged to provide future assistance. India has expressed solidarity with Venezuela, and reinforced bilateral ties. Where is Australia’s expression of solidarity?
Two Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft delivered 66 tonnes of cargo, including 35 tonnes of humanitarian relief, such as portable hospital facilities, medicines, trauma supplies, and specialist equipment as well as tents, surgical kits, trauma-care supplies, diagnostic equipment, emergency shelter materials, and food. India helped establish a field hospital to treat trauma injuries, perform emergency surgery, and provide intensive care to earthquake victims. The Indian field hospital team works on trauma cases alongside Venezuelan authorities. The team has already dug out survivors.
Venezuela is seeing who it can count on in its time of need. Australia has shown too little support when Venezuela needs it the most. Shameful.
Graham Holton
