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  • UWI Seismic Research Centre urges preparedness after major Venezuela Earthquakes

    UWI Seismic Research Centre urges preparedness after major Venezuela Earthquakes

    Recent back-to-back major earthquakes near Venezuela, paired with a separate seismic event between Trinidad and Tobago and Grenada, have sparked widespread public concern across the Caribbean. Leading regional seismic monitoring body, the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre (UWI-SRC) — tasked with tracking earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis across the English-speaking Eastern Caribbean — has released a detailed technical analysis to address growing public questions about the seismic activity.

    According to UWI-SRC Director Dr. Erouscilla P. Joseph, the large energy released by Venezuela’s magnitude 7.5 and 7.2 earthquakes has altered stress across the entire Caribbean Plate, which has coincided with a small uptick in regional seismic events recorded by the centre. While all seismic activity in the area falls within the broad Caribbean-South American plate boundary, Dr. Joseph emphasized that the Venezuela quakes and the separate Grenada-Trinidad and Tobago event stem from distinct tectonic processes. As of current assessments, there is no evidence linking all three events to a single shared fault system. Though large quakes can shift stress in surrounding regions, she noted, establishing a direct causal link between separate seismic events remains extremely challenging.

    Dr. Joseph contextualized the size of the Venezuela earthquakes: a magnitude 7.5 event qualifies as a major quake with regional significance, but tremors of this scale occur somewhere across the globe nearly every year. While the 2025 Venezuela event ranks among the larger quakes recorded worldwide this year, it does not fall among the most powerful seismic events of the past decade. What makes this sequence unusual, she explained, is its location near heavily populated areas and the extremely close timing of the two major quakes: the magnitude 7.2 tremor was followed just 39 seconds later by the 7.5 event. This pattern is rare, she noted, but not unprecedented — it points to a complex rupture process involving multiple fault segments that released massive amounts of stress over just one minute. Preliminary mapping confirms the quakes occurred within the active Caribbean-South American plate boundary, home to major fault systems including the El Pilar–San Sebastián fault and its associated offshore structures. Detailed investigations are still ongoing to pinpoint the exact fault segment responsible for the rupture.

    In addressing public anxiety about increased major earthquake risk for Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Joseph confirmed that aftershocks are expected near the original Venezuela quake zone, and some of these aftershocks may be felt in parts of Trinidad and Tobago. However, she stressed that there is currently no data to support an elevated risk of a major local quake directly triggered by the Venezuela events. “The public should not be alarmed, but they should be prepared,” Dr. Joseph said, noting that all Caribbean nations sit in a geologically active seismic zone, and major events like this serve as a critical reminder of the need for ongoing readiness.

    Shortly after the earthquakes, a regional tsunami warning was issued, but it was quickly canceled after specialists analyzed data from coastal monitoring stations and deep-ocean tsunami detection systems. Assessments found no evidence of a significant tsunami forming, with forecasted wave heights remaining far below dangerous thresholds.

    Currently, UWI-SRC researchers are conducting a full post-event analysis, examining the quake’s source characteristics, rupture sequence, aftershock distribution, ground shaking patterns, and potential seafloor displacement. Data from regional seismic stations, GPS networks and sea-level sensors is being integrated to refine future regional seismic hazard assessments.

    Dr. Joseph also outlined what a similar magnitude earthquake near Trinidad and Tobago would mean: the level of damage would depend on multiple factors, including the quake’s depth, distance from population centers, local soil conditions, and the resilience of local infrastructure. Older buildings constructed without modern seismic engineering standards face far higher risk of damage than newer, code-compliant structures, and a strong local quake could disrupt critical services including power, water and transportation networks. For this reason, Dr. Joseph emphasized, continuous investment in updated building codes and public preparedness remains a priority for the region.

    Responding to viral social media videos showing people running outdoors during the Venezuela quake’s intense shaking, Dr. Joseph noted that flight instinct is natural during a terrifying event, but moving while the ground is shaking greatly increases the risk of injury from falling debris, broken glass or collapsing building parts. The internationally recommended safety protocol, she reminded the public, is to Drop, Cover and Hold On until shaking stops. Once the ground stabilizes, people can calmly evacuate to open, safe areas away from damaged structures if necessary.

    UWI-SRC is urging all members of the public across the Eastern Caribbean to use this event as an opportunity to update their emergency preparedness: this includes learning and practicing earthquake safety protocols, identifying safe spots in homes and workplaces, securing heavy furniture and appliances that could topple, assembling emergency supply kits, and reviewing family evacuation and communication plans.

    “It is natural to feel concerned when a major earthquake affects a neighboring country with which we share such close ties,” Dr. Joseph said. “The SRC remains fully committed to monitoring seismic activity across the region and delivering timely, accurate information to help individuals, communities and governments make informed decisions.”

    She added, “This earthquake is a reminder that while we cannot prevent earthquakes, we can drastically reduce their impacts through preparedness. The goal is not to live in fear, but to be ready.”

    UWI-SRC maintains continuous 24/7 monitoring of seismic activity across the Eastern Caribbean, and publishes real-time updates via its official website and social media channels including Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). The centre encourages all residents to follow these official channels for accurate information and to update their preparedness plans in light of the recent event.

  • CAF establishes Venezuela Recovery and Reconstruction Fund

    CAF establishes Venezuela Recovery and Reconstruction Fund

    In the wake of the destructive earthquakes that hit Venezuela on June 24, the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF) has unveiled a targeted new initiative to drive the country’s rebuilding: the Venezuela Recovery and Reconstruction Fund. This dedicated mechanism is structured to collect, mobilize, and direct combined contributions from public, private, and international stakeholders toward the most pressing recovery needs identified by Venezuelan authorities, building on the $300,000 in emergency humanitarian aid CAF already committed to immediate relief efforts.

    Unlike scattered, uncoordinated aid efforts that often slow disaster response, the new fund centralizes all incoming donations under a unified framework of transparent administration and clear accountability. Donations are open to a wide range of partners, including national governments, multilateral organizations, private corporations, philanthropic foundations, individual givers, and other collaborative groups. All allocated resources will be aligned exclusively with recovery and reconstruction priorities formally set by the Government of Venezuela, with the core goal of delivering a unified, efficient response that eliminates fragmented efforts and speeds up the delivery of critical support to earthquake-impacted communities.

    To kickstart the initiative, CAF has made an initial seed commitment of $1 million to launch the fund and finance the first round of prioritized projects. In a move designed to maximize impact for affected communities, CAF will not levy any administrative or implementation fees for managing the fund, ensuring 100 percent of all contributed funds go directly toward emergency response and long-term reconstruction work.

    “Natural disasters demand a collective response rooted in humanity and solidarity, and Venezuela needs our support now more than ever,” said Sergio Díaz-Granados, Executive President of CAF. “As Venezuela is a founding member of CAF and hosts our organization’s headquarters, launching this reconstruction fund is a natural expression of our commitment. This is an agile, fully transparent mechanism, and we invite governments and private sector actors across the globe to join us. By combining our resources, we can build a truly effective response. Our promise extends beyond the immediate emergency: we will stand with the Venezuelan people through every step of the long recovery and reconstruction journey ahead.”

    The fund is intentionally designed to adapt to the three distinct phases of disaster response, evolving with changing needs on the ground. In its first phase, the mechanism will support immediate life-saving assistance, including the distribution of humanitarian supplies, provision of essential goods, and logistical backing for Venezuelan institutions leading the emergency response. The second phase will focus on rehabilitating critical public services, including healthcare systems, water and sanitation infrastructure, energy networks, education facilities, and digital connectivity. In the final long-term phase, the fund will back broader recovery and resilience-building efforts, including early permanent reconstruction, the restoration of local livelihoods, and infrastructure upgrades to reduce community vulnerability to future natural disasters. All interventions will be rolled out incrementally, based on detailed damage assessments and updated priorities confirmed by the Venezuelan government.

    To uphold full transparency, all fund resources are held as a ring-fenced pool completely separate from CAF’s own operating capital. The mechanism built in end-to-end traceability for every individual intervention, requires regular public financial reporting, and mandates independent third-party audits to ensure accountability. Donations may be made in either U.S. dollars or euros, and resource deployment is structured for maximum flexibility: funds can be executed through pre-vetted eligible implementing partners, or directly managed by CAF when that approach delivers greater efficiency.

    CAF’s longstanding institutional ties to Venezuela—dating back to the country’s role as a founding member and permanent host of the bank’s headquarters—reinforce the organization’s commitment to standing with the Venezuelan people and their governing institutions through every stage of this emergency response, recovery, and reconstruction process. The bank is leveraging its existing technical expertise and financial network to mobilize solidarity from across the Latin American and Caribbean region and the wider global community. For more information on how to contribute or participate in the initiative, interested parties can access details via the official link for the Recovery and Reconstruction Fund for Venezuela.

  • Recensie biografie oud-president Shankar

    Recensie biografie oud-president Shankar

    # A Critical Review of the Ramsewak Shankar Biography: Uncovering the Integrity of Suriname’s Former Leader
    Published: June 28, 2026, 08:56

    In a June 7, 2026 commentary on Starnieuws, Asha Remesar offered high praise for historian Eric Jagdew and Suriname’s former president Ramsewak Shankar, released in conjunction with the launch of Jagdew’s new book *Ramsewak Shankar: een technocraat als minister, manager en president in Suriname*. But Remesar’s piece lacked substantive evidence to back up her acclaim. This in-depth review fills that gap, offering a detailed assessment of the work and the portrait it paints of one of Suriname’s most misunderstood modern leaders.

    First, a key clarification: contrary to its billing, the book is not a traditional biography, but a structured autobiography. As veteran Surinamese politician Jagernath Lachmon often prefaced his answers with the phrase “in my humble opinion”, reviewer Roy Khemradj makes the same distinction here. A conventional biography, such as the earlier work *Man van het moment* on former Surinamese leader Henck Arron, incorporates perspectives from third parties who shared experiences with the subject. By contrast, this work draws from more than 25 in-depth interviews where Shankar shared his life experiences directly with Jagdew, who wove these accounts into the broader context of Suriname’s modern political history.

    Specifically, the book covers the period from Suriname’s movement to restore democracy, through the November 1987 general elections and Shankar’s inauguration as president, up to his forced resignation in December 1990. Regardless of the labeling debate, the text carries substantial informational and historical value. Drawing on prior knowledge from biographies of both Henck Arron and Frank Essed (including Khemradj’s own work *De Mobilisatie van het Eigene* on Essed), the reviewer gains a far more nuanced understanding of the 1987 presidential candidate selection process by the NPS and VHP parties. Some NPS members had pushed to nominate Frank Essed for the presidency, and the book reveals that Shankar was initially Lachmon’s pick for vice president.

    One particularly revelatory new detail is the true origins of the widely discussed Leonsberg Accord. According to Shankar, the catalyst was an offhand comment by politician Willy Soemita at a Front coalition meeting held at the venue De Olifant: Soemita joked that no stars could be seen in the night sky because military leaders had picked all of them to adorn their epaulettes. The joke enraged the military top brass, setting the stage for the eventual agreement.

    The book’s structure is also unusual: most biographies open with the subject’s family background, childhood and school years, but this text leads with a concise history of British Indian indentured labor in Suriname, focusing on successful descendants of indentured workers. It highlights Hindustani “pioneers and intellectuals” who built careers in small-scale agriculture, healthcare, education and the judiciary, before presenting a list of Hindustani graduates of the AMS medical school between 1952 and 1960. Shankar’s name does not even appear until page 49, and his personal life story does not begin until page 73. This opening framing inadvertently casts Shankar primarily as a “Hindustani president”, even as Jagdew’s core goal is to present him as a Surinamer who always prioritized the national interest over ethnic or factional concerns.

    Long before he took the presidency, Shankar served as director of the Stichting Machinale Landbouw (SML), Suriname’s mechanized agriculture foundation, from 1971 to 1981. As a trained agricultural economist, he turned a loss-making rice operation into a highly profitable enterprise, even managing to secure two harvests per year. In 1981, however, Shankar and his entire board resigned abruptly. Jagdew only notes briefly that the resignation stemmed from “the role and power of the People’s Militia in a personnel issue at SML”, leaving out critical details. Curious to learn more, Khemradj reached out to Shankar directly for clarification.

    Shankar shared that the issue centered on the SML head of human resources. A female job applicant had filed a complaint of sexual misconduct during her interview, leading the board to fire the official. But the man was also an active member of the People’s Militia in Wageningen, and eventually Shankar received a call from Paramaribo – ultimately from then-military leader Dési Bouterse – ordering the SML to reinstate him. Shankar refused, choosing to resign with his entire leadership team rather than back down. After his departure, the rice operation went into steady decline, he confirmed.

    This previously unreported anecdote perfectly encapsulates Shankar’s unyielding integrity, a throughline that defined his time in office as well. Few Surinamese today appreciate that no post-Shankar president has inherited such a staggering array of challenges to tackle in barely two years in office. Jagdew, a skilled narrative historian, makes this case convincingly. The book reads like a vivid historical reenactment, and decisively dismantles the long-held myth that Shankar was a weak leader – a jab based on a crude pun on his first name, “Ram-is-zwak” (Ram-is-weak).

    Shankar was ultimately forced out of office in his fight to fully restore democracy and the rule of law, and to curtail military influence over civilian governance. Tensions boiled over after Shankar revoked the special investigative powers of the Military Police. Military leaders were also vehemently opposed to Shankar’s plan to amend the Surinamese constitution in 1991, for which he had already convened a special constitutional commission.

    These two flashpoints were the direct trigger for the military intervention that became known as the 1990 Christmas Coup on December 24. The book also reveals that Jagernath Lachmon, the veteran VHP leader nicknamed “the man of bending reed”, played a behind-the-scenes coordinating political role in the coup. Aware that tensions with the military were reaching a breaking point, Shankar defied his own party leader and called for early snap elections before the coup could be carried out. A recorded speech announcing the election order was already prepared for broadcast, but military forces seized the recording at the last minute.

    Once again, Shankar had refused to compromise his principles. His resignation was not announced by Shankar himself, but by leaders of the Front for Democracy and Development. Today, as the former president prepares to turn 89 on November 6, 2026, this long-overdue reevaluation of his legacy makes clear that his commitment to democratic governance and personal integrity has earned him a far more prominent place in Suriname’s modern history than he has been afforded in popular memory.

  • US$6.7b in damage

    US$6.7b in damage

    Just hours after a pair of powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela’s northern coastline last Wednesday, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) completed a rapid satellite-powered damage assessment that paints a stark picture of the disaster’s scale. The preliminary Rapid Digital Assessment (RAPIDA) pegs direct physical damage from the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 quakes at an estimated US$6.7 billion – a sum equal to roughly 6% of the South American nation’s total annual gross domestic product.

    The twin tremors were felt across Venezuela’s most densely populated and economically critical regions, including the capital city of Caracas and the coastal and inland states of La Guaira, Carabobo, Miranda, Yaracuy, and Aragua. According to the UNDP’s analysis, released publicly this week, approximately 8.6 million people across northern Venezuela were exposed to at least moderate shaking, with 2.1 million experiencing stronger, more destructive seismic activity. As of June 26, the official national death toll stands at 920, though UNDP officials note that casualty numbers are likely to climb as search-and-rescue teams continue working through damaged and collapsed structures.

    In total, around 1.7 million buildings sit in the affected zones, with large concentrations located in the hardest-hit states. The UNDP’s mid-range estimate for direct damage puts the figure between US$4.7 billion and US$8.7 billion, with the majority of losses tied to destroyed or damaged residential housing and critical economic assets. Importantly, this preliminary figure does not account for damage to public infrastructure, broader national economic disruptions, or long-term reconstruction costs. Historical disaster data shows that total disaster impact typically lands between 1.5 and 3 times the value of calculated direct damage, meaning the final overall cost could reach as high as $26 billion. Satellite analysis also detected measurable reductions in night-time light output across parts of Carabobo, La Guaira, Caracas and Aragua, indicating widespread, persistent power outages in those regions in the immediate aftermath of the quakes.

    Luis Francisco Thais, UNDP Resident Representative in Venezuela, emphasized that rapid, data-driven assessments are foundational to effective disaster response planning. “The speed and accuracy of early assessments are essential for an effective response,” Thais explained. Unlike traditional on-the-ground assessments that can take days or weeks to compile initial data, RAPIDA leverages artificial intelligence, high-resolution satellite imagery, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology to deliver a comprehensive situational overview within 72 hours of a crisis. The tool helps response teams quickly map damage, identify at-risk vulnerable populations, and coordinate cross-agency interventions. Thais added that disasters also present an opportunity to reframe long-term development: “Every crisis is an opportunity to rethink development strategies with resilience at their core. This ensures that recovery not only restores what was lost but also builds a more sustainable future.” The UNDP is continuing to refine its assessment as higher-resolution satellite imagery becomes available, with Venezuelan authorities still working to count displaced persons and map full infrastructure damage.

    Beyond the damage assessment, regional development bank CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean – has moved quickly to support recovery efforts, announcing the launch of a dedicated Venezuela Recovery and Reconstruction Fund this week. The new fund is designed to pool public and private donations from around the world, channeling resources directly to the reconstruction priorities identified by the Venezuelan government. The mechanism aims to cut through fragmented aid delivery to speed up recovery in impacted communities.

    CAF is kicking off the fund with an initial US$1 million in seed capital, added to the $300,000 in humanitarian assistance the bank previously pledged. Critically, the bank will not charge any administrative fees for the fund, ensuring 100 percent of all donations go directly to emergency response and reconstruction work.

    “Acts of nature are met with acts of humanity and solidarity, and Venezuela needs us today more than ever,” said Sergio Díaz-Granados, CAF’s executive president. As a founding member of CAF and the host country for the bank’s headquarters, Venezuela holds a unique place in the institution’s history, he explained. “We are launching this fund for reconstruction: an agile and transparent mechanism that we invite governments and the private sector to join, so that their contributions, together with ours, become part of an effective response. Our commitment is to accompany the Venezuelan people not only during the emergency, but throughout the entire path of recovery and reconstruction that lies ahead.”

    The fund will roll out in three sequential phases, aligned with the progression of disaster recovery. The first phase focuses on immediate emergency relief and life-saving humanitarian aid. The second phase prioritizes restoring core essential services, including healthcare, water and sanitation, energy access, education, and digital connectivity. The final phase will focus on long-term infrastructure rebuilding, restoring local livelihoods for displaced and impacted communities, and upgrading construction standards to improve resilience against future natural disasters.

    To ensure full transparency and accountability, all fund resources are held separately from CAF’s own operating capital, with full traceability for every individual intervention, regular public financial reporting, and independent third-party audits. Donations can be made in either U.S. dollars or euros, and resources can be deployed flexibly through pre-vetted implementing organizations or managed directly by CAF when that structure proves more efficient. In a statement, CAF reaffirmed its long-term commitment to leveraging its technical and financial capacity to mobilize regional and international solidarity in support of the Venezuelan people through the entire recovery process.

  • Quakes lift T&T coastline by nearly 20 feet

    Quakes lift T&T coastline by nearly 20 feet

    Last week’s pair of powerful back-to-back earthquakes that devastated northern Venezuela triggered an extraordinary geological shift hundreds of kilometers away, pushing a remote stretch of Trinidad’s southwestern Galfa coastline upward by nearly 20 feet in seconds. The sudden uplift left hundreds of marine species trapped on the newly exposed seabed, where most perished quickly.

  • Inside T&T’s gang landscape

    Inside T&T’s gang landscape

    A 2024 independent study commissioned by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has laid bare the dramatic expansion of gang activity across Trinidad and Tobago over the past 15 years, generating international policy ripple effects and sparking debate over data accuracy with local authorities.

    Authored by leading criminologist Dr. Randy Seepersad and published in February 2024 as part of the broader Eastern and Southern Caribbean Criminal Dynamics Study, the report counted 186 distinct gang groups encompassing 1,750 confirmed members across the twin-island nation as of 2022. This figure marks a stark upward trajectory from historical law enforcement data provided by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) Special Investigations Unit: just 60 gangs were recorded nationwide in 2009, rising to 102 in 2012, 130 gangs with 1,014 members in 2020, and hitting the 2022 totals that anchor the current study.

    As part of the research, Seepersad’s team conducted a comprehensive survey of 777 Form 4 and 5 students in Tobago’s public secondary schools – representing 68.9% of all enrolled students in those grade levels. The results revealed that 3.7% of respondents were active gang members at the time of the survey, with affiliation rates varying by academic year: 2.4% for Form 4 students and 5.5% for Form 5 students. Researchers noted they were unable to collect matching data from Trinidad’s public school system due to a lack of access permission.

    The USAID-funded project, which analyzed gang dynamics across 11 Caribbean nations, found that Trinidad and Tobago posts the highest prevalence of gangs and gang-related violent crime among all surveyed countries. TTPS data included in the report shows that 33.3% of all murders recorded between 2000 and 2022 have been tied to gang activity. This share has grown dramatically over the decades: just 3.3% of murders were gang-linked in 2000, peaking at 52.7% in 2007 before a temporary dip to 15.9% in 2010, followed by a fluctuating but overall upward trend that reached 40.3% of all murders in 2022.

    Geographic analysis of 2022 data found gang activity is concentrated most heavily in the western region of Port of Spain, which hosts 45 distinct gangs. Other high-density regions include the Northern Division with 31 gangs, Tobago with 28 gangs, and Port of Spain’s North Eastern Division with 24 gangs. In terms of gang-related homicides between 2000 and 2022, Port of Spain led all regions with 61.1% of local murders linked to gangs, followed by North Central (50.9%), the Western Division (49.2%), and the North Eastern Division (41%). The Besson Street Police Station district recorded the highest raw number of gang-related murders at 156, accounting for 16.6% of all gang killings nationwide over the 22-year period.

    The study also identified clear patterns linking gang location to criminal activity. Coastal gangs are disproportionately involved in drug and firearms trafficking, while inland-controlled gangs tend to engage in more violent turf conflicts, including shootings, woundings, and homicides, as factions fight for territory and control of illicit drug markets. Beyond these core activities, gangs across the nation are involved in a wide range of offences including motor vehicle theft, armed robbery, illegal quarrying, and prison-based criminal activity. In Tobago, gangs often provide safe haven to Trinidad-based criminals fleeing law enforcement or rival groups, though violence against tourists remains extremely rare.

    The report also confirmed that gangs have expanded their influence into two key spheres long considered outside their core control: secondary schools and national prison systems. Prisons continue to operate as de facto safe havens for gang leadership, allowing top members to direct faction activity from behind bars and recruit new members despite ongoing law enforcement efforts. Collusion between gangs and corrupt law enforcement personnel, while inconsistent, has also become more common in recent years, the study found.

    These findings have already had international policy consequences: the United Kingdom’s Visas and Immigration department referenced Seepersad’s statistics, alongside local media reports, in a 2026 asylum policy assessment that adjusted entry rules for Trinidad and Tobago nationals seeking asylum on the basis of gang-related threats. Last week, Trinidad and Tobago’s Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander publicly questioned the accuracy of the UK’s adopted figures, saying the numbers “are very different to what we have presently” and noting that the UK’s count is higher than local official data. Alexander did not release his own government’s competing statistics to contradict the study’s findings.

  • Aardbeving Venezuela: Dodental loopt op tot 1.430, nieuwe beving zaait angst

    Aardbeving Venezuela: Dodental loopt op tot 1.430, nieuwe beving zaait angst

    A devastating double major earthquake that struck Venezuela earlier this week has left more than 1,400 people dead, with rescue teams across the globe scrambling against time to pull any remaining survivors from the rubble as the critical 72-hour post-disaster survival window nears its end.

    On Wednesday evening, two powerful back-to-back earthquakes measuring magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 hit just under a minute apart, leaving widespread destruction across the northern coastal state of La Guaira and parts of the capital Caracas. Hundreds of structures have collapsed, and tens of thousands of people remain unaccounted for, according to official updates.

    The already desperate relief effort was disrupted on Saturday, when a new 4.8-magnitude tremor shook the affected region, adding to the hundreds of aftershocks that have rattled the area since the initial quakes. Seismological officials from Venezuela’s national institute Funvisis have recorded more than 300 aftershocks following the initial disaster, some as strong as magnitude 5.5. The Saturday tremor, registered by both the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), hit offshore of northern Aragua state at 3:20 p.m. local time, roughly 70 kilometers west of Caracas. No major damage was immediately reported from this latest shake, but the constant seismic activity has not only stoked widespread fear among local residents, it also puts rescue workers searching unstable rubble piles at severe risk.

    International aid has poured into the country to support the search and rescue mission. The United Nations reports that more than 1,600 foreign rescue personnel, 100 search canines, and 39 specialized response teams from dozens of countries have already deployed to the disaster zone. Major nations including the United States, Mexico, Spain, Russia, and the United Kingdom have contributed personnel and resources to the operation. UNICEF has allocated $2.5 million in emergency funding, while the World Food Programme has pre-positioned food supplies to support more than 10,000 displaced families.

    Despite the massive international support, chaos and desperation grip the hardest-hit areas. Local residents have criticized the Venezuelan government for poor coordination of rescue efforts, with many families taking recovery into their own hands, digging through debris with their bare hands in La Guaira, which is now under military control. The crisis is compounded by widespread mobile phone and internet outages, making it nearly impossible for separated families to reconnect. “People are still terrified to go back to what used to be their homes,” said Loyce Pace of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

    Amid the widespread tragedy, one small moment of hope has emerged: an 18-day-old newborn was pulled alive from rubble in La Guaira after being trapped for 32 hours. Rescuers believe the infant was protected by its mother, who was pulled alive from the debris an hour after the baby was rescued.

    Venezuelan officials have warned that the confirmed death toll will continue to climb as search teams clear more debris. The United Nations estimates that total infrastructure damage from the quakes will reach between $4.7 billion and $8.7 billion. As hopes of finding more survivors fade, response efforts are already beginning to shift from search and rescue to providing emergency shelter and basic aid to the tens of thousands of people left homeless by the disaster.

  • Canada, CARICOM Renew Strategic Partnership with Focus on Security, Climate and Trade

    Canada, CARICOM Renew Strategic Partnership with Focus on Security, Climate and Trade

    In a high-stakes diplomatic gathering that underscores deepening North American-Caribbean cooperation, Canada and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have formally renewed their long-standing strategic partnership, aligning their shared priorities around three critical pillars: regional security, climate change resilience, and expanded bilateral trade. The renewed agreement, struck during high-level talks between Canadian officials and leaders of CARICOM’s 15 member states, builds on decades of collaborative engagement while updating the framework to address 21st-century challenges that have grown increasingly urgent for both blocs.

    On the security front, the partnership commits both sides to enhanced information sharing, joint capacity-building for Caribbean law enforcement agencies, and coordinated action to disrupt transnational criminal networks trafficking drugs, weapons, and people across the Caribbean region. Canada has pledged targeted technical support and training to help CARICOM nations strengthen border control and counter illicit activities that undermine regional stability.

    Climate action stands as a central, urgent pillar of the renewed agreement, reflecting CARICOM members’ status as some of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, despite contributing minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions. Canada has reaffirmed its commitment to scaling up climate finance for adaptation and mitigation projects across the Caribbean, ranging from coastal infrastructure protection against rising sea levels to support for transitioning to renewable energy sources. Both sides also agreed to deepen collaboration on international climate negotiations to push for more ambitious global emissions reduction targets.

    On trade, the updated partnership aims to remove existing barriers to bilateral commerce, expand market access for Caribbean goods and services in Canada, and unlock new opportunities for Canadian investment in key Caribbean sectors including tourism, renewable energy, and agriculture. Leaders from both sides emphasized that deeper economic integration will support inclusive growth and job creation across the Caribbean, while opening new commercial avenues for Canadian businesses.

    Diplomatic observers note that the renewed partnership comes at a time of shifting global geopolitical dynamics, strengthening the bond between Canada and the Caribbean bloc as they work to address shared challenges that no single nation can tackle alone. Both sides have committed to holding regular high-level review meetings to track progress on the joint priorities and adjust the partnership as new challenges emerge.

  • Zapping Haiti of June 28, 2026

    Zapping Haiti of June 28, 2026

    On June 28, 2026, multiple developments across Haiti and related international policy drew public attention, spanning law enforcement action, public sector infrastructure investment, aviation progress, judicial training, and fierce criticism of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision affecting Haitian migrants.

    In a significant victory for local community safety, Haitian law enforcement completed a targeted major operation in the Pèlerin 5 district of Pétion-ville, successfully dismantling a criminal gang that had long targeted local residents through systematic kidnappings and home burglaries. Seven members of the criminal network are now in police custody following the operation.

    In a push to modernize the country’s public education system, Haiti’s Minister of National Education Déméro announced sweeping infrastructure upgrades set to launch in October 2026. The initiative will deliver broadband internet connectivity to all public primary schools, secondary high schools, and public universities across the nation. Complementing the digital rollout, all participating public education institutions will also receive the necessary electrical infrastructure to support new educational technologies, with the project backed by both technical expertise and funding from international partner organizations.

    For Haiti’s growing aviation sector, private carrier Zed Airlines S.A. provided an update on its upcoming Montreal route launch. The airline confirmed that the start of passenger operations to and from the Canadian city remains on hold pending final completion of synchronization protocols between the carrier and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). Once this final regulatory step is finalized, the airline will immediately publish its full official flight schedule for the new route.

    The most contentious development of the day came in response to a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that greenlit the Trump administration’s plan to revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of Haitian residents living in the United States, opening the door to mass deportations. U.S. Catholic bishops have emerged as prominent critics of the decision, warning of severe humanitarian harm that will impact both Haiti and the United States.

    Mgr. Brendan Cahill, Bishop of Victoria, Texas and Chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration, framed the policy shift as a fundamental moral failure. “Revoking the legal status of hundreds of thousands of people residing in our country creates a moral crisis,” he stated, “as returning them to their country of origin is neither safe nor reasonable.” Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami, whose archdiocese serves one of the largest concentrations of Haitian and Haitian-American communities in the U.S., called the planned deportations an act of unconscionable cruelty. “It would be an act of unspeakable cruelty for the United States to send families back to Haiti, where dangerous and unsanitary conditions prevail,” he told Miami Archdiocese Radio, urging Congress to extend TPS and grant Haitian migrants at least a three-year reprieve from deportation.

    Haiti’s own Fusion Party of Haitian Social Democrats (FUSION/PFSDH) has echoed this outcry, expressing deep concern over the ruling that puts nearly 350,000 Haitian TPS beneficiaries at risk of deportation. The party has issued a formal call on the Haitian national government to formally request a temporary moratorium on all mass deportations of Haitian TPS holders from the U.S. government. FUSION argues the moratorium should remain in place until the Haitian government’s newly formed Gang Suppression Force (GSF) is fully deployed across the country and delivers measurable improvements to national security.

    In domestic judicial news, Haiti’s Superior Council of the Judiciary (CSPJ) announced the deployment of a new cohort of judicial trainees on June 26, 2026. Forty-nine trainee magistrates from the 8th graduating class of Haiti’s National School for the Judiciary (EMA) have been assigned to 11 different courts of first instance to complete a mandatory six-month practical internship, which is required before they can be formally inducted into the Haitian national judiciary. The Port-au-Prince Court of First Instance will host the largest share of trainees at 21, followed by the Les Cayes court with 15. The remaining 13 trainees are distributed across smaller regional courts: 3 to Miragoâne, 2 to Jérémie, 2 to Gonaïves, and one each to Cap-Haïtien, Ouanaminthe, Petit-Goâve, Saint-Marc, Hinche, and Croix-des-Bouquets. The cohort of 49 trainees includes 13 women, all of whom took their formal oath of office the week prior before the dean of the Port-au-Prince Court of First Instance.

    In public health development, Haiti’s Ministry of Public Health, working in partnership with the Prime Minister’s Office and external stakeholders, is continuing ongoing work to acquire a new hospital facility on the grounds of the former Haitian Community Hospital. Health Minister Bertrand Sinal moved to clarify a point of public concern, confirming that the new hospital project will not require the relocation of Haiti’s largest public medical facility, the State University Hospital of Haiti (HUEH).

  • Insecurity : The EU extends sanctions against gang violence in Haiti

    Insecurity : The EU extends sanctions against gang violence in Haiti

    On June 26, 2026, following a routine annual review of the ongoing crisis in Haiti, the European Union formally voted to extend its framework of restrictive sanctions against actors undermining peace, stability, and democratic governance in the Caribbean nation. The extended sanctions regime will remain in effect through July 29, 2027, a decision rooted in the EU’s deepening concern over unrelenting, destabilizing criminal activity that has torn apart Haitian communities and threatened security across the broader region. The measure targets 17 individuals and one criminal organization, all facing binding restrictions including asset freezes across EU jurisdictions, a ban on any direct or indirect provision of funds or economic resources, and entry bans for all listed natural persons. The sanctions regime traces its origins back to November 2022, when the EU Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2022/2319 to align with a United Nations Security Council resolution addressing Haiti’s escalating crisis. A 2023 amendment to the framework granted the EU autonomous authority to impose sanctions on bad actors independent of UN designations, creating a complementary structure to the UN sanctions imposed in October 2022 that expands the bloc’s ability to hold destabilizing actors accountable. Among the highest-profile sanctioned figures is former Haitian President Michel Joseph Martelly, whom the EU accuses of arming and funding multiple criminal gangs to advance his political agenda, protect personal and business interests, and consolidate territorial control. Two former top Haitian politicians from Martelly’s inner circle—former Senate President and political advisor Youri Latortue, and former Senator Rony Célestin—are also named on the sanctions list. The roster of targeted individuals also includes many of Haiti’s most powerful and violent gang leaders, whose actions have driven a catastrophic humanitarian crisis across the country. These include Jimmy Chérizier, widely known by his alias “Barbecue,” who leads the Viv ansanm terrorist alliance; Micanor Altès, head of the Wharf Jérémie gang based in Cité Soleil; Jeff Larose, leader of the Canaan gang; and Wilson Joseph, alias “Lanmò San Jou,” head of the notorious 400 Mawozo gang. The only entity targeted by the sanctions is the 5 Segond Gang, a powerful armed faction based in Port-au-Prince’s Village-de-Dieu neighborhood. The list also includes former senior Haitian security official Dimitri Hérard, once head of the National Palace’s General Security Unit, and Kempes Sanon, a gang leader accused of coordinating armed takeovers of Port-au-Prince territory and unifying criminal networks to derail Haiti’s ongoing political transition. In announcing the extension, EU officials emphasized that the restrictive measures remain a critical tool to curb gang-related violence, hold perpetrators of destabilizing activity accountable, and support international efforts to restore democratic order and stability to Haiti.