Two earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 struck Venezuela's Yaracuy state in quick succession on the evening of June 24, marking the country's strongest earthquakes since 1900, The New York Times reported the same day. The quakes caused significant damage in Yaracuy, Carabobo, Aragua and La Guaira states, as well as the capital Caracas, the nearby Simon Bolivar International Airport and the port city La Guaira.

The total death toll is unclear, with authorities currently confirming 164 dead, though the U.S. Geological Survey has warned that the death toll could range between 10,000 and 100,000. Since the Jan. 3 U.S. operation to arrest former President Nicolas Maduro, U.S.-Venezuela relations have significantly improved, as Rodriguez has given in to U.S. demands to open the economy up to the United States.