US military deploys MTVRs, airlifts aid to Venezuela following deadly earthquakes

The U.S. military continued relief efforts in Venezuela on Friday with the delivery of the last of 10 U.S. Marine Corps Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacements (MTVRs) to assist victims of last week's deadly earthquakes, in addition to providing other humanitarian assistance.

On Friday, a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster cargo aircraft transported the last of the 10 MTVRs being used to assist disaster victims and relief personnel.

The MTVR crews will support the logistics efforts to deliver urgently needed assistance to local communities, according to U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).

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More than 1,000 MTVRs have seen service in Iraq and Afghanistan and have been heavily used in contingency operations as well as missions supporting humanitarian operations, according to the Marine Corps.

At Simón Bolívar International Airport, which serves the capital of Caracas, the U.S. military’s Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Center (HACC) was working with local authorities, the State Department, and other agencies on the ground to support disaster relief assistance.

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Marine, Navy, and Army vertical-lift and rotary-wing aircraft were also conducting airlift and transport flights, including delivering pre-packaged, self-contained meals for earthquake survivors and displaced citizens, SOUTHCOM said in a Friday update.

The USS Fort Lauderdale remains at the Port of La Guaira, supporting communications efforts and serving as a distribution point.

The Trump administration has moved in to support the South American nation following 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes last week, mobilizing $150 million in humanitarian relief.

The administration has also assembled a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), which is composed of more than 250 people, including three specialized Urban Search-and-Rescue (USAR) teams.

The death toll from the natural disaster stands at nearly 2,000 and continues to rise.