Putin offers condolences to Venezuela after deadly earthquakes

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday expressed condolences to Venezuela after two powerful earthquakes left at least 32 people dead and around 700 others injured.

In a letter, Putin asked his Venezuelan counterpart Delcy Rodriguez to convey his condolences to the families and friends of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to those injured, according to the Kremlin.

"We express our feelings of solidarity and support to the friendly Venezuelan people during this difficult time," Putin said.

Late Wednesday, Rodriguez declared a national state of emergency after powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela's northern Caribbean coast, causing widespread damage and triggering tsunami warnings across the region.

Rodriguez said at least 164 people were killed and over 900 others were injured in the earthquakes.

During a press briefing, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia will promptly consider any request by Venezuela for assistance following the earthquake if they receive one.

"Naturally, we're talking about the first hours after this tragedy. The number of victims, apparently, is far higher than the figures currently being reported in the media. Any appeals from our Venezuelan friends will, of course, be promptly addressed," Peskov said.

He also denied any plans for a phone conversation between Putin and Rodriguez.