Venezuela's Interim President Delcy Rodríguez presented the Heroism Medal to Turkish citizen İbrahim Eser, who rescued 38 people from the rubble after the double earthquake that shook the country.
The award ceremony was held at the Jorge Luis García Carneiro Stadium in La Guaira. Venezuelan security and emergency response units that participated in search, rescue, and coordination efforts after the earthquake also attended the ceremony.
In her speech, Rodríguez said that 30,000 personnel took part in the disaster response and that all of them worked "at the highest level." She emphasized that rescue teams fought with great determination to save the lives of Venezuelans, displaying a spirit of solidarity and perseverance.
Eser's path to the award
İbrahim Eser, in a statement to Anadolu Agency (AA), described the process of meeting Rodríguez and receiving the medal. Eser said that Rodríguez also attended the opening of a tent city recently set up by AFAD, where Turkey's Ambassador to Caracas, Naci Aydan Karamanoğlu, mentioned him.
Eser noted that Rodríguez told the ambassador, "Yes, I know him. He is everywhere, accompanying all the aid coming from Turkey and ensuring it reaches the right places." He added that the Venezuelan leader later came up to him and personally thanked him.
Eser recounted that Rodríguez said, "I follow you and what you do on the internet. Thank you very much for everything," and then turned to her aides and instructed, "We must give İbrahim an award, he truly deserves it."
Eser stated that some time later he was called from the presidential palace and informed that the medal had been decided upon and he was invited to the ceremony. He said that during the award presentation, Rodríguez addressed him by name, held his hand and thanked him, while merely greeting the other attendees. Eser added that the Venezuelan leader said what he had done was "honorable and a source of pride."
Eser noted that Venezuelan officials expressed their gratitude to him, saying, "Turk, thank you for everything."
The earthquake's devastation
In the double earthquake that struck Venezuela on June 24, the first tremor was recorded at magnitude 7.2 and the second at 7.5. According to the latest official statement, 5,119 people lost their lives.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) announced on June 26 that the direct material damage was approximately $6.7 billion. As search and rescue efforts continue in the region, there are concerns that the number of dead and injured may rise.
