Venezuela’s Interim Leader Defends Government’s Earthquake Response Amid Criticism

Venezuela’s interim leader defends earthquake response amid mounting criticism

Venezuela’s US-backed interim President Delcy Rodríguez has strongly defended her government’s handling of last week’s devastating earthquakes, rejecting accusations of a slow rescue response, disputing claims that the death toll is being underreported and dismissing criticism over the quality of state-built housing.

Speaking at a press conference in Caracas on Thursday, Rodríguez said authorities responded immediately after the disaster and accused critics of politicising a humanitarian crisis.

“We did not wait one day, two days or three days. We activated immediately,” she said. “To politicize a humanitarian tragedy like this… is disgraceful.”

The earthquakes have emerged as the biggest challenge for Rodríguez’s administration since she assumed office following the removal of former president Nicolás Maduro in January.

Government faces criticism over rescue efforts

Residents in the worst-hit state of La Guaira have accused authorities of responding too slowly, saying survivors and local volunteers were forced to search for trapped people with little official assistance in the crucial hours after the quakes.

Rescue workers have also pointed to shortages of specialised equipment that hampered search operations, while engineers and disaster experts have questioned the structural quality of some government-built housing projects damaged in the disaster.

Officials have confirmed at least 2,295 deaths, though the toll is expected to rise as rescue operations continue. The government has not released figures for the number of missing people.

Meanwhile, an opposition-backed online platform has received more than 38,000 missing-person reports, although the government has not verified those numbers.

Responding to questions about allegations that the actual death toll could be much higher, Rodríguez insisted only officially verified figures would be released.

“We do not want to speculate. The numbers we provide are rigorously verified,” she said.

Rare rescue offers hope

Amid the widespread devastation, rescue teams recovered a 43-year-old security guard alive nearly eight days after the earthquake, well beyond the critical 72-hour survival window.

The man, identified as Hernán Alberto Gil Flores, survived after becoming trapped inside an air pocket beneath a collapsed shopping mall. Rescuers managed to pass him food and water through narrow gaps before pulling him to safety.

The dramatic rescue provided a rare moment of optimism as operations across La Guaira increasingly shifted from searching for survivors to recovering bodies.

Questions over political future

The earthquake has become the first major test of Rodríguez’s leadership as interim president.

Her remarks came a day before the scheduled expiry of her 180-day interim mandate, creating uncertainty over the government’s next constitutional steps.

Under Venezuela’s constitution, an acting president’s tenure can be extended by the National Assembly, which is controlled by Rodríguez’s allies, or lawmakers can initiate a fresh presidential election if the office is declared permanently vacant.

International aid continues

Unlike previous governments that resisted foreign assistance, Rodríguez has welcomed international rescue teams and humanitarian aid from multiple countries.

She publicly thanked US President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Israel and several other nations for supporting relief efforts.

The United States has pledged more than $300 million in assistance and deployed around 900 military personnel to support search, rescue and humanitarian operations, while US officials said funds linked to Venezuela’s oil revenues would also be directed towards reconstruction and recovery efforts.