International
The spiritual and social legacy in Peru of Pope Leo XIV
In addition to being simple and close, the new Pope Leo XIV stood out in his previous stage as bishop of Peru for his management capacity and being a social actor. Among his legacy, the oxygen plant he managed to install in the middle of the pandemic or his effort to declare a small town in the Diocese as a Eucharistic capital will be remembered.
It seems that in sunny Chiclayo, the Peruvian town where he was bishop for eight years, everyone met Robert Prevost. Neighbors show proud photos with him at a holiday, in church or in educational institutions, and all are good words towards him.
But beyond being known among citizens, and his taste for local food, León XIV led numerous initiatives and projects that last today in Peru.
From the headquarters of Cáritas Chiclayo, its general secretary, José Alejandro Castillo, reminds EFE of some milestones of the American’s passage through this diocese, which show how he knew how to move between public and private entities and even the Armed Forces to help the most needy.
“During the covid-19 pandemic, one of his concerns was the lack of oxygen and he made a very large campaign, in such a way that he not only got an oxygen plant, but two plants,” Castillo says next to said infrastructure.
He says that for months many people died in Peru due to the lack of oxygen in hospitals, which raised its price to the stars, something that disturbed Prevost and so he began a virtual fundraising campaign to get an oxygen plant and install it in Caritas for those who needed it.
He details that the lines were very long throughout the day due to the enormous demand, but his plan could save the lives of Chiclayanos desperate to get oxygen.
Castillo also remembers how León XIV knew how to get funds and help from the Armed Forces to build housing modules for people who had lost their homes due to the great floods caused by the El Niño Phenomenon in 2017.
In fact, a photo of Prevost with rubber boots in the middle of an infinite brown puddle formed by the floods that destroyed part of northern Peru has gone viral.
He also highlighted the line of work promoted by the then bishop to help Venezuelan migration that arrives from the northern border of the country, both to people who are passing through, and those who settle in the city.
“They are helped with the procedures so that they can regularize their situation here in this country, and above all, they can get work for their own support,” says the priest, adding that his concern for migrants was outstanding.
A few kilometers south of the city, a small and humble town called Eten could change its destiny thanks to the action of Leo XIV, because in 2019 he brought to Pope Francis the request to declare it as ‘Eucharistic capital’, for a miracle that occurred in 1649.
The Parish of Santa María Magdalena worships the Divine Child of the Miracle, where neighbors and visitors come with fervor and more than 20,000 handwritten testimonies of faith accumulate, which Prevost taught to the previous pope.
While a woman leaves next to the colorful image of the Child Jesus the photo of her sick son, Noemí Ñiquen, a member of the parish, tells EFE that Bishop Prevost visited this peculiar church and its community many times.
“I visited our town a lot, I knew the people and their problems. She knows that this town is full of faith, of religious tradition, that’s why we love him very much here and we are sure that his first visit to Peru will be to recognize Eten as a Eucharistic city,” she said enthusiastically.
International
Looting Spreads in Venezuela’s Hardest-Hit Areas After Deadly Earthquakes
Not even the wires were left behind at a small grocery store. Before the ground had even stopped shaking, looting and theft began in the areas hardest hit by the double earthquake that struck Venezuela.
Reports of robberies have multiplied in the coastal state of La Guaira, located near Caracas and now transformed into a landscape of collapsed buildings and debris.
Videos circulating on social media show groups of people removing boxes of household appliances from a damaged store. Other images show similar boxes being carried on top of vehicles and motorcycles.
Social media platforms have also been filled with accusations against police officers and military personnel who allegedly stole from homes and even from victims who died during the disaster.
A branch of a major pharmacy chain was looted, along with supermarkets and other businesses. Some residents have described the situation as “disaster tourism,” while others say the looting reflects hunger and desperation among people who lost everything in a country already facing a prolonged economic crisis.
“Is it fair that our own people turn against our own people?” said María Esther Bernal, 71, who rented commercial spaces to Chinese merchants, all of which were looted. “They left nothing behind, not even the wallpaper. They even took the cables,” she said.
“Next door, a man died. He was Chinese. People walked over his body while they looted the place. It was a supermarket,” she added.
An AFP journalist witnessed looting in La Guaira since Thursday, following the earthquakes.
Jenifer Mayora, 34, defended some of the actions, saying that “the things people took were because the owners of the stores allowed us to take them.”
However, she criticized the limited response from authorities. “I have been waiting for a mattress so my children can sleep,” she said.
Residents have expressed anger over what they describe as a slow and insufficient response from authorities after the double earthquake, which has left around 1,450 people dead and tens of thousands missing.
Communities are demanding not only faster rescue operations in La Guaira, but also stronger security measures and urgent assistance with food, water, and medicine.
International
UN warns Venezuela earthquakes could affect up to 6.76 million people
Up to 6.76 million people could be affected by the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24, according to an assessment released by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a United Nations agency.
The organization said the projections are based on available population data and damage assessments, and include up to two million people living in Caracas, the country’s capital.
The estimates highlight the potentially massive humanitarian impact of the disaster, the IOM warned.
Entire buildings collapsed in La Guaira, a coastal area north of Caracas, following the powerful twin earthquakes that reached magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 on Wednesday.
The national death toll has risen to 920, while rescue teams continue searching for people trapped beneath the rubble in coastal regions and other affected areas.
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told AFP on Friday that more than 50,000 people were reported missing.
The IOM also revealed that it worked with Microsoft’s artificial intelligence laboratory on an initial satellite mapping analysis, which showed that 31.5% of buildings in the town of Catia La Mar had suffered damage.
Authorities and international rescue teams continue operations as Venezuela faces one of its largest humanitarian emergencies in recent years.
International
United Nations Coordinates Relief Efforts as Venezuela Death Toll Rises After Twin Quakes
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday expressed his condolences to the people of Venezuela following the two devastating earthquakes that struck the country and highlighted the ongoing coordination between UN humanitarian teams and interim President Delcy Rodríguez.
Speaking during the UN’s daily press briefing, spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Guterres was deeply saddened by the loss of life and widespread destruction caused by the disaster.
“The Secretary-General is deeply distressed by the loss of life and the widespread devastation caused by the earthquakes that struck Venezuela yesterday. He extends his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to those injured,” Dujarric stated.
Venezuela was struck on Wednesday by two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude. According to official figures, the disaster has left at least 164 people dead and 971 others injured.
Dujarric noted that preliminary reports indicate significant damage across several states, including the capital, Caracas. Numerous casualties have been reported, while other individuals remain trapped beneath collapsed structures or are still missing.
“Critical infrastructure has been damaged and essential services have been disrupted,” the spokesperson said.
The United Nations confirmed that its humanitarian team remains in close contact with interim President Delcy Rodríguez and other relevant authorities as emergency operations continue.
To support relief efforts, the UN has established a coordination center in Caracas and is assisting local authorities to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches affected communities as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Guterres also welcomed the expressions of solidarity and offers of assistance from countries around the world that responded following news of the disaster, underscoring the importance of international cooperation in addressing the humanitarian emergency.
Looting Spreads in Venezuela’s Hardest-Hit Areas After Deadly Earthquakes
UN warns Venezuela earthquakes could affect up to 6.76 million people
United Nations Coordinates Relief Efforts as Venezuela Death Toll Rises After Twin Quakes
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