MY FELLOW AMERICANS, there are few times in the lives of all of us when we are called upon as we are this Sunday, to extend the spirit of humanity and brotherhood to a fellow nation.
The country of Peru, a neighbor nation in this hemisphere, has undergone the worst catastrophe ever suffered by a people of the Americas. An earthquake which struck Peru 2 weeks ago has taken over 50,000 lives. One out of every 12 Peruvians has been left without a home, without warm clothing, without food. Thousands of children have been orphaned. To them and their families we extend our prayers and sympathy.
As President of the United States, I appeal to you--as individuals and as a nation--to express our concern and grief through actions that will help to relieve the suffering that tragedy has brought to Peru.
Note: The statement was released at Key Biscayne, Fla.
A White House announcement, dated June 24, 1970, on the establishment and membership of the Peru Earthquake Voluntary Assistance Group, is printed in the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents (vol. 6, p. 810).
On September 8, the White House released the transcript of a news briefing by Counsellor to the President Robert H. Finch on the final report on U.S. relief assistance to Peru.
An announcement, dated October 8, listing total U.S. aid, both private and Federal, and total international aid, is printed in the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents (vol. 6, p. 1353).
Richard Nixon, Statement Appealing to Americans To Assist the Victims of the Earthquake in Peru Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/239883