Key facts
- Two powerful earthquakes have struck Venezuela.
- At least 1,430 people have died in the earthquakes.
- Over 68,000 people are missing following the earthquakes.
- Thousands of people have been injured.
- Hundreds of buildings have collapsed.
- Rescue efforts are underway to find survivors beneath rubble.
- International aid and rescue teams are mobilizing to assist Venezuela.
- The earthquakes are testing the Trump administration's western hemisphere policy.
- Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado is seeking U.S. assistance to return to Venezuela.
- Machado left Venezuela in December.
Venezuela is grappling with the aftermath of two powerful earthquakes that have caused widespread destruction, killed at least 1,430 people, and left over 68,000 missing. Rescue efforts are ongoing, with survivors being pulled from beneath collapsed buildings, though hopes of finding more are diminishing. The scale of the disaster appears to have overwhelmed the country's preparedness, leading to criticism of the government's response by survivors who are now sleeping rough. International aid and rescue teams are mobilizing to support the search and rescue operations. The earthquakes also present a critical test for the Trump administration's revised approach to the western hemisphere, particularly as the U.S. mobilizes a significant disaster response mission to Venezuela, a country now considered an ally following the deposition of Nicolás Maduro. Senior U.S. officials are reportedly frustrated by Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado's push for U.S. assistance to return to Venezuela immediately following the earthquakes. Machado, who departed Venezuela in December, is seeking help to facilitate her return amid the climbing death toll.