Marco Rubio says US to give Venezuela immediate earthquake help

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that the United States is "immediately deploying search and rescue teams, medical resources, and humanitarian assistance to Venezuela."

"We will have a whole of government response," Rubio said Thursday in Bahrain. "It will be big. It will be fast. It will be effective," the secretary said in Manama, Bahrain, before leaving.

Speaking shortly after the disaster, Rubio said he had spoken by phone with acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez and that the US was deploying rescue teams from Fairfax County, Virginia, and Los Angeles, with more to follow.

Concerning the agreement intended to end the war with Iran, Rubio told journalists the US and Gulf allies would ensure there would be no fees charged on ships moving through the strait of Hormuz.

The GCC countries have expressed reservations about the limitation of the US-Iran deal signed last week, including conflicting claims over the strait and the fact that the memorandum of understanding does not specifically cover Iran's nuclear or ballistic missile programs.