Key facts
- Venezuelan earthquake survivors are criticizing the government's response to recent earthquakes.
- Many survivors are relying on civilian efforts and foreign rescue teams for rescue and recovery.
- Hospitals were undersupplied and understaffed, with emergency personnel lacking equipment.
- The government reported 1,943 deaths and over 10,500 injuries from the June 24 earthquakes.
- Wealth and government connections influenced preferential treatment at some collapsed building sites.
Venezuelan earthquake survivors are expressing frustration and anger over the government's slow and disorganized response to recent devastating earthquakes. Many report being abandoned, with civilians and foreign rescue teams shouldering the burden of search and recovery efforts due to a lack of government equipment, personnel, and coordination. Hospitals are reportedly undersupplied and understaffed, exacerbating the crisis. Survivors like Angelica Mundrain are struggling to retrieve the bodies of loved ones from rubble, while others point to preferential treatment at sites believed to house officials or politically connected individuals. Experts suggest the government's inability to respond effectively is linked to widespread low pay, corruption, and a public sector depleted by emigration. The earthquakes, which struck on June 24, have resulted in thousands of deaths and injuries, with many still missing.