MIAMI — Amazon has announced a seven-flight humanitarian air delivery operation to Caracas, Venezuela, to assist communities affected by the twin earthquakes that struck northern Venezuela on June 24, leaving more than 650,000 people in need of aid.
The weekly flights are being conducted through a collaboration among Amazon, Airlink, the U.S. State Department, and the United Nations World Food Programme. Under the partnership, the State Department will coordinate access with local authorities; Amazon will provide the aircraft and fuel at no cost to humanitarian organizations; Airlink will determine cargo based on nonprofit needs; and the World Food Programme will manage logistics within Venezuela.
“When more than 6 million people are affected and entire neighborhoods have been reduced to rubble, getting supplies quickly isn’t just helpful, it’s critical,” said Bettina Stix, director of Amazon’s Community Impact. “This air bridge will route supplies to trusted nonprofits on the ground in Venezuela that can put them to use immediately to serve the people most affected by this catastrophe.”
According to Amazon, the humanitarian air bridge is intended to prevent aid bottlenecks and to avoid what relief organizations call a “second disaster,” in which unrequested in-kind donations overwhelm communities and divert resources from the most urgent needs.
Amazon said the initiative builds on its disaster-relief program, launched nearly a decade ago, which uses the company’s logistics network and aviation capabilities to deliver emergency supplies after disasters. Since 2017, Amazon has donated and delivered more than 26 million emergency supplies and technology in response to more than 200 disasters worldwide. The Venezuela operation marks the company’s first collaboration with Airlink and will use the Amazon Air Cargo network.
“In a disaster of this magnitude, coordination and speed of response is everything. Amazon’s donated airlift capacity allows us to move quickly and efficiently to heavily-impacted communities in Venezuela, eliminating bottlenecks and ensuring that every flight delivers what they need most. This partnership embodies Airlink’s model in action: bringing the humanitarian, aviation, public, and private sectors together to get help to people in their moment of greatest need,” said Paloma Adams-Allen, president and CEO of Airlink.
“The need on the ground in Venezuela is immense. This air bridge will support the transfer of supplies to communities efficiently through trusted humanitarian channels. Once cargo arrives in Caracas, our teams coordinate staging and distribution, so aid reaches those who need it without delay,” said Stephanie Hochstetter, World Food Programme country director in Venezuela.
“This collaboration with Amazon, Airlink, and World Food Programme demonstrates what’s possible when government and the private sector come together to overcome logistical barriers in a humanitarian crisis. By facilitating access and coordinating with local authorities, we’re helping ensure that lifesaving aid reaches Venezuela as quickly as possible,” said State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott.
Amazon said the air bridge is part of a broader earthquake relief effort that includes support for more than a dozen nonprofit organizations, employee volunteer events in multiple cities, and the donation and delivery of more than half a million emergency supplies within days of the earthquakes. The supplies include tarps, water filters, sleeping bags, hygiene kits, and diapers.
The company also deployed self-contained rapid-response technology systems in La Guaira, near the earthquake epicenter, providing Wi-Fi connectivity to hospitals and shelters to help staff communicate across locations. Amazon said it will continue working with organizations on the ground as relief needs evolve.
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