Discontent and Disorganization: Outrage Grows in Venezuela Over the Government’s Slow and Uneven Response to the Earthquakes

Public frustration is intensifying in various regions of Venezuela due to the lack of coordination and the uneven distribution of aid from the Chavista regime following last Wednesday’s devastating twin earthquakes.

Nearly a week after the disaster, severely affected communities are denouncing the absence of government officials, finding themselves forced to rely on the solidarity of people of good will to meet their basic survival needs.

Neglect in the Outskirts and the Tragedy of the Deported

Even in towns near the capital, such as El Junquito—a mountainous region located about 33 kilometers west of Caracas—the scene is one of commercial devastation and institutional neglect.

Its residents have had to set up makeshift camps in open fields due to the latent risk posed by the collapsed structures around them.

“We’re waiting for answers—for the rubble to be cleared, for inspections to be conducted, and for help to be provided to the people who have truly been affected,” said Keily Ibarra, a local resident who is leading the community’s demands, urging the authorities to do “what needs to be done.”

Meanwhile, the tragedy has severely impacted sectors under the direct supervision of the state. There were reports of the collapse of a hotel near Maiquetía Airport , where more than 140 citizens recently deported from the United States—including seven minors—were staying.

These individuals were in the custody of the “Gran Misión Vuelta a la Patria.” According to testimonies from family members, it is feared that most of them perished under the rubble, a fact that contrasts with the propaganda videos that the government apparatus had circulated on social media hours before the earthquake.

Escalating Emergency and the Official Narrative of “Manipulation”

The death toll continues to rise significantly. The president of the National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, confirmed on Monday that the number of confirmed deaths rose to 1,719, with an additional 5,034 injured and 15,866 people left homeless.

Although the country has received some 1,000 metric tons of supplies and more than 3,600 rescue workers from 30 allied nations have been deployed, the bulk of these resources has been concentrated almost exclusively in La Guaira state, delaying assistance to other vulnerable areas.

Faced with social unrest over the centralization of aid, the government leadership has chosen to blame digital platforms and dismiss allegations of neglect.

"Do not pay attention to rumors; do not be swayed by manipulation tactics on social media or by media manipulation that seeks nothing more than to increase unrest and anxiety," asserted Jorge Rodríguez, insisting that “official information is the only source that truly holds the truth to share with you.”

Meanwhile, in the industrial sector, severe power outages are paralyzing refineries and strategic petrochemical complexes in the country’s central region.