Key facts
- Four Venezuelan police officers were arrested for allegedly looting cash from earthquake rubble.
- The officers are facing dismissal from the CICPC.
- Videos circulating on social media appear to show the officers taking money from a safe.
- The CICPC stated the officers acted improperly, deviating from their duties.
- Public anger is rising over the government's rescue efforts and alleged misconduct by officials.
Four Venezuelan police officers have been arrested and face dismissal following accusations of looting cash from the rubble of buildings destroyed in last week's devastating twin earthquakes. The arrests come amid growing public anger over the government's response to the disaster, with volunteers and some residents alleging that military and police personnel are not only looting but also hindering rescue efforts and diverting aid.
Videos circulating on social media appear to show members of the CICPC, Venezuela's investigative police force, helping themselves to money from a safe found in a collapsed building in the hard-hit state of La Guaira. The CICPC confirmed the arrests, stating that the officers had deviated from their duties and acted improperly, damaging the institution's prestige.
While rescue efforts continue, with a three-year-old boy recently pulled alive from the debris, hopes of finding more survivors are diminishing. Many volunteers, often equipped with basic tools, are working tirelessly to locate survivors, expressing frustration with the perceived lack of official support and heavy equipment. Some have reported witnessing authorities commandeering aid trucks.
Government officials have attributed the public's growing anger and reports of misconduct to misinformation and social media manipulation, urging citizens to rely on official channels. However, some volunteers on the ground feel there is little evidence of a robust state-led rescue operation.
The situation is described as desperate in emergency shelters, with reports of near-fights over food distribution. The government's decision to restrict public access to La Guaira, even after initially thanking volunteers, has further inflamed tensions. The backlash against the government's handling of the crisis occurs as acting president Delcy Rodríguez seeks to consolidate her power.