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Turkish national Ibrahim Eser, who helped rescue 38 people trapped under rubble after twin earthquakes struck Venezuela in June, has received the Medal of Heroism from Acting President Delcy Rodriguez.
Rodriguez presented the Medal of Heroism at a ceremony held at Jorge Luis Garcia Carneiro Stadium in La Guaira, also honoring members of Venezuela's security and emergency response agencies involved in rescue and coordination efforts following the disaster, including the country's national police director general and intelligence director.
From the earthquakes' immediate aftermath, Eser supplied footage and information documenting the damage, contributing to international coverage of the disaster.
At the ceremony, Rodriguez commended the rescue teams' dedication, saying they had carried out their duties with honor and reflected the country's resilience.
Eser told Anadolu that Rodriguez learned of his work after attending the inauguration of a tent city built by Türkiye's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority, AFAD, in the disaster-affected region.
Türkiye's Ambassador to Caracas, Naci Aydan Karamanoglu, was present at the same event and mentioned Eser's humanitarian efforts to Rodriguez, who responded that she was already familiar with his work accompanying aid shipments from Türkiye.
Eser said Rodriguez later approached him directly to thank him and instructed her team to prepare an award in his honor.
He added that he was later contacted by the presidential palace to confirm his identity and the length of his stay in Venezuela before being informed of the medal.
Eser described one moment from the ceremony as particularly meaningful: although Rodriguez did not shake hands with other attendees, she addressed him by name, held his hand and thanked him personally for his efforts.
"What you have done is a source of honor and pride," Eser recalled Rodriguez telling him.
Eser said senior officials, including the interior, foreign affairs and defense ministers, also greeted him at the ceremony to express their gratitude.
The medal ceremony followed twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24, registering magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 seconds apart, according to the US Geological Survey.
Venezuelan authorities reported this week that the death toll had risen to 5,119, with 16,740 people injured, as more than 1,350 aftershocks have been recorded since the quakes.
The UN Development Program estimated the direct physical damage at 6.7 billion dollars. Search and rescue operations were continuing in the country as of this week, with authorities warning that damaged buildings still posed risks to residents.
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