L.A. County dispatched a 73-person emergency response team to Venezuela on Tuesday, according to a statement from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The group includes search-and-rescue specialists, canine units, medical personnel, and engineers, as confirmed by a press release dated April 2. The mission, described as a “humanitarian assistance operation,” follows a request from the Venezuelan government, though no official details about the scope or duration of the deployment have been released.
The sheriff’s department cited “ongoing infrastructure challenges” in Venezuela as the primary rationale for the deployment. A representative stated the team would focus on “assessing structural stability in affected regions and providing medical triage support.” The spokesperson declined to specify which areas of Venezuela would be targeted, citing “operational security concerns.”
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez acknowledged the U.S. contingent in a Twitter post, writing, “We thank the people of Los Angeles for their solidarity during these difficult times.” The message did not elaborate on the nature of the assistance or the expected timeline for the team’s work. A separate statement from the Venezuelan embassy in Washington, D.C., confirmed the arrival of the group but provided no further details.
The L.A. County team includes personnel from the sheriff’s disaster response unit, which has previously participated in international missions. In 2021, the unit assisted in post-hurricane recovery efforts in Puerto Rico, according to a report by the Los Angeles Times. However, no prior deployments to Venezuela have been documented in official records reviewed by this outlet.
U.S. officials have not publicly commented on the mission. A State Department spokesperson referred questions to the Venezuelan government, stating, “We support efforts that promote stability and humanitarian aid in the region.” The statement did not address whether the deployment aligns with broader U.S. policy toward Venezuela, which has faced economic and political turmoil for years.
Local media in Venezuela reported that the team arrived at a military airfield in Caracas on Wednesday. Photographs from the scene, published by the state-run newspaper AVN, show personnel unloading equipment marked with the L.A. County insignia. A source within the Venezuelan interior ministry told Reuters the group would “coordinate with local authorities on site assessments,” but no official schedule has been released.
The deployment underscores a growing trend of subnational entities engaging in international humanitarian efforts. In 2023, the California National Guard conducted a similar mission in Mexico, according to the California Department of Emergency Services. However, the L.A. County initiative appears to be the first known direct collaboration between a U.S. county government and the Venezuelan state.
The next phase of the operation remains unclear. A sheriff’s department official stated the team would “conduct an initial assessment and report back to leadership,” but no timeline for conclusions or further actions was provided. Venezuelan officials have not indicated whether the mission will expand beyond its current scope.
