Survivors of powerful earthquakes that struck northern Venezuela are questioning the government's response, citing a lack of organization, equipment, and empathy from authorities in the critical days following the disaster. Six days after back-to-back earthquakes on June 24, residents in La Guaira state and surrounding regions reported waiting for heavy machinery to recover bodies and remained uncertain about who was in charge.
Angelica Mundrain, whose son, niece, and nephew were trapped in the rubble of their La Guaira apartment building, expressed feelings of helplessness and abandonment. "We feel helpless. What we have seen is a lack of organization, a lack of empathy, a lack of everything," Mundrain stated.
In the initial 72 hours after buildings, businesses, and homes collapsed, the government's response was primarily focused on traffic control, with police, intelligence agents, and armed forces members manning intersections. Civilians, often working alone or with foreign teams, searched for loved ones. Ambulances faced significant traffic delays, hospitals were undersupplied, and emergency personnel reportedly lacked adequate equipment.
Many residents attributed successful rescues and recoveries to fellow Venezuelans and foreign teams equipped with specialized tools like thermal cameras, sound detectors, and trained dogs. Some observed uniformed personnel watching or taking selfies while civilians and foreign rescuers worked.
David Smilde, a professor who studies Venezuela, noted that the disaster highlights the government's inability to perform basic functions, a concern for acting President Delcy Rodriguez. Smilde linked the inadequate response to widespread departures from the public sector due to low pay and corruption, leading to a government payroll with many absent employees. He compared the situation to a disorganized baseball team with insufficient players and unclear roles.
Allegations of preferential treatment for certain sites based on wealth and government connections have also surfaced. At one collapsed building that housed police and military students, a telescopic crane was observed being rented by relatives of residents, while Mundrain noted she could not afford such equipment for her family's recovery.
Frustration over the government's response has led to altercations, including residents blocking an excavator from leaving a site and pulling the operator from the cab.
The government reported 1,943 deaths and more than 10,500 injuries from the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes, with thousands more reported missing. While some survivors were rescued in the days following the quake, the window for finding people alive narrowed with each passing hour. Daniel Castillo, who rescued his mother and son hours after the earthquake, criticized the government's inaction, contrasting spotless military uniforms with the dust-covered appearance of civilian and foreign rescuers who had been working for days.