The United Nations launched an urgent appeal on Wednesday to raise $296 million in aid for earthquake relief efforts in Venezuela, where the death toll has surpassed 3,600 following one of Latin America’s most devastating seismic events. The humanitarian crisis is severe, with thousands displaced and many more still missing, particularly in La Guaira, a city heavily damaged by the earthquake.

UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher highlighted the scale of the need during a meeting focused on the disaster response. He noted that donors have already contributed approximately $300 million toward relief efforts, including $115 million in support provided prior to the earthquake. Despite this assistance, there remains a funding gap of $627 million to address ongoing and emerging needs across the country. The newly sought $296 million is intended to meet the immediate socioeconomic needs of about 1.3 million people over the next six months under a clearly defined, time-bound plan.

Venezuela’s government called on the international community to release frozen assets to support recovery efforts. Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto urged countries holding Venezuelan funds to initiate plans for their release, underscoring that some accounts have been blocked due to what he described as “illegal sanctions.” He specifically referenced Venezuelan gold reserves held by the United Kingdom and financial assets frozen by the United States.

The United States has temporarily eased some of its economic sanctions on Venezuela, lifting certain restrictions for four months to facilitate humanitarian aid. These sanctions were initially imposed as part of a broader strategy to pressure the Venezuelan government. However, the U.S. move aims to enable more effective delivery of relief and recovery resources amid the ongoing crisis.