The earthquakes that recently struck Mexico, as everyone has seen from TV and newspapers have caused huge damages due to their violence (7.2 degrees in Chiapas and 8.1 in the center of the country).

Due to the temporal proximity and geographical localization of the two events, especially the second shock in Mexico City, most of the media paid attention to the capital as a consequence of the aid works that have focused there. It almost seemed, even just watching TV, that only that metropolis was hit.

Unfortunately this is not the truth. Particularly in rural areas, extremely isolated and difficult to reach, there are totally destroyed pueblos. Some even flooded due to the heavy rains of these days, which is further aggravating the situation. The few aid they can get comes from local organizations and civil society.

As our friends of the Jaguar Speleological Group from Tuxtla Gutierrez, the capital of Chiapas, who in their small family have reached some of the most isolated communities in areas where they also do speleological activity. Thanks to them, we have news from many friends living in the villages where many times La Venta went to explore and study caves. And thanks to them, now we know that the main necessities are materials to rebuild the destroyed houses and especially roof sheets. Cold weather is coming, and who thinks of Mexico as a place where it always shines a hot sun is wrong. In the "Altos" the winter it is very cold and without a roof and the walls of the house is a terrible perspective.

For this reason, La Venta has decided to promove a foundraising to raise money to be allocated to these types of aid in remote areas. What we can promise is that funds will be managed directly by our members who live there in Chiapas and who is going to Italy to help and see with their own eyes what can and should be done.

Many Italian speleologists have been with us in those areas. Many others went for vacation or speleological activity. Now we ask you to help the people who have always welcomed us with such affection by opening the doors of their poor houses to get us out of the rain or to cook something hot. We want to demonstrate that friendship is something that surpasses every frontier!

Anyone who wants to help can send a contribution of any entity to the bank account called La Venta. The Iban is: IT83 X053 9073 6700 0000 0005 655. The Cause to point is: Chiapas Earthquake Emergency Contribution – Mexico.

Thanks to everyone and we promise to share with you how the funds will be used.

Tullio Bernabei e Leonardo Colavita