The Portuguese contingent responding to the tragedy caused by the earthquakes in Venezuela has arrived in the country, but without the 18 operatives prepared by the Autonomous Region of Madeira. The decision to limit the mission to the capacity of the two Portuguese Air Force KC-390 aircraft has left a specialised search and rescue team grounded, a situation causing significant displeasure within the Regional Government.
DIÁRIO has learned that the Madeiran government is taking steps with national authorities to secure a third military flight, which would allow for the transport of the regional contingent to Venezuela. The objective is to ensure that the Madeiran operatives can join international rescue efforts at a time when searches for survivors beneath the rubble are still ongoing.
According to DIÁRIO, the Regional Government is deeply frustrated that Madeiran firefighters were not deployed to the theatre of operations alongside the other elements of the Portuguese force, which include sapper teams from Lisbon and other specialised operatives from the mainland.
The Madeira team was fully prepared to depart. The 18 operatives, six members of the Regional Civil Protection Service, 11 firefighters from various corporations across the region, and a doctor from the Rapid Intervention Medical Team (EMIR), had fulfilled all procedures required for an international mission, including vaccinations, as well as logistical and operational preparation. They remained entirely dependent on the availability of air transport.
While awaiting a potential decision that would permit their deployment, the operatives are remotely monitoring a mission for which they have been preparing over the past few days.
Meanwhile, the National Joint Force, composed of 64 members from the GNR’s Special Protection and Relief Unit, the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority, and INEM, has already established its base of operations at the Luso-Venezuelan Centre in Catia del Mar, a strategic location adjacent to the areas most affected by the earthquakes.
The Portuguese intervention is being coordinated from this Luso-Venezuelan community infrastructure, covering reconnaissance, search and rescue missions, and support for the affected populations.
In the initial hours of the operation, primary efforts remain concentrated on rescuing victims trapped under debris. Civil protection experts reiterate that time is a decisive factor in such disasters, making the reinforcement of human resources on the ground particularly urgent.
The Regional Government maintains the expectation that it will still be possible to mobilise the Madeiran contingent, arguing that the experience and specialisation of its operatives could provide a vital contribution to the relief operations currently underway in Venezuela.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
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