A U.S. congressman is asking the Trump administration to send one of the Navy's two hospital ships to Venezuela. This request follows the recent earthquakes that have killed over 1,400 people and severely impacted the country's weak healthcare system.
Representative Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) wrote to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, urging them to deploy either the hospital ship USNS Comfort or USNS Mercy to assist with the humanitarian response.
“The earthquakes have killed thousands and injured many more, with countless individuals still unaccounted for. The USNS Comfort and Mercy can help save lives,” Moskowitz stated.
In his letter, Moskowitz explained that the Navy's hospital ships are specifically designed to provide advanced surgical care, emergency medicine, intensive care, diagnostic services, and inpatient treatment. They can also help coordinate larger humanitarian relief efforts. He pointed to the deployment of USNS Comfort after Haiti's 2010 earthquake as a successful example of how these ships can respond to disasters.
This request comes amid uncertainty about the readiness of the Navy's two hospital ships.
According to gCaptain, USNS Mercy arrived at Vigor Shipyard in Portland, Oregon, in March for scheduled maintenance after traveling from the Gulf Coast. Meanwhile, USNS Comfort is currently undergoing maintenance in Alabama. There have been no recent updates on the operational status of either ship, which raises questions about how quickly one could be deployed for humanitarian aid.
Moskowitz recognized that any deployment would need to be coordinated with the Venezuelan government, international humanitarian organizations, and regional partners. However, he emphasized that the scale of the disaster justifies using one of the Navy's floating hospitals.
This letter comes at a time when U.S. military resources are already involved in rescue operations following last week's significant earthquakes, which caused extensive destruction in northern Venezuela and left many injured or missing.