Jun 27, 2026
4 min read
Guyana has launched a nationwide relief effort for neighbouring Venezuela following devastating flooding that has left thousands affected, with an ambitious operation under way to deliver emergency aid while rallying support from across the Caribbean.
President Dr Irfaan Ali made the announcement during a live national briefing on Saturday alongside Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret'd) Mark Phillips, saying Guyana's response is rooted in humanitarian responsibility and describing the unfolding situation in Venezuela as one of unprecedented scale.
"Today we are responding to one of the greatest humanitarian needs as a result of a disaster in Venezuela at a scale and magnitude that is unimaginable. As good neighbours, we must reach out," President Ali said.
The President said Guyana has already begun mobilising relief supplies while extending the initiative to fellow CARICOM member states to maximise regional assistance.
He noted that immediate attention is being placed on the needs of children, women, families and the elderly, with relief supplies including pharmaceuticals, food, drinking water, baby products, sanitation items, mattresses and recovery equipment.
"Of immediate concern for us are the children, especially the children, the women, the families… pharmaceutical support, medical support, food, support for children, babies, the elderly, sanitation support," the President said.
According to President Ali, Guyana has already mobilised close to 100 containers of relief supplies, including critical pharmaceuticals, rice, milk products and diapers. An 8,000-tonne vessel is expected to depart Guyana by Friday with humanitarian aid destined for Venezuela, while a second vessel with an additional 7,000-tonne capacity has been placed on standby should donations exceed expectations. St Kitts and Nevis has already committed containers of food and pharmaceuticals as part of the wider CARICOM response.
Prime Minister Phillips announced that a 24-hour collection centre has been established at the MYO facility on Woolford Avenue, where the Guyana Defence Force and Civil Defence Commission will receive, sort and prepare donations for shipment.
"We will be establishing a collection point at the MYO facility on Woolford Avenue… we ask that you bring the donations and we will ensure they are sorted out, packed and ready to be loaded onto the ship," the Prime Minister said.
Authorities are also facilitating the shipment of prepacked containers from businesses and organisations, while members of the public are being encouraged to contribute through the Private Sector Commission or the national coordination committee.
The Guyana Defence Force has also been placed on standby to deploy personnel to assist with recovery operations in Venezuela if requested.
The humanitarian response follows days of torrential rainfall that triggered severe flooding and landslides across several western Venezuelan states, destroying homes, roads and bridges, disrupting essential services and forcing thousands from their communities. The scale of the disaster has prompted emergency assistance from neighbouring countries and regional partners.
While Guyana and Venezuela remain engaged in a longstanding border controversy over the Essequibo region, President Ali underscored that the relief effort is driven solely by humanitarian considerations.
"The Prime Minister's office will be having daily meetings to coordinate all of the effort. This is not an easy task. It's an intense logistics operation, but we hope to have this done efficiently for our neighbours and the people of Venezuela," the President said.
Closing the briefing, President Ali thanked the private sector, CARICOM governments, the Venezuelan community living in Guyana and other partners for responding to the appeal, while offering words of solidarity to those affected.
"To the people of Venezuela, we continue to have you in our thoughts and prayers and know that we are here in support of all the efforts," he said.
