International rescue teams from over a dozen countries have surged into Venezuela, pulling survivors from the rubble days after twin magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 quakes devastated La Guaira. At least 33 people were rescued over the weekend, including multiple children, with foreign teams deploying search dogs, micro drones and heavy equipment. The U.S. committed over $150 million in aid, with hundreds of millions more expected.
Venezuela's government has badly fumbled this disaster — locals in quake-hit areas are furious, clearing rubble with bare hands while waiting for a state that has spent 27 years hollowing out its own institutions. Information has trickled out irregularly, heavy machinery has been scarce and the official response has been opaque. A country this broken cannot rescue itself, and no amount of announcements from acting President Delcy Rodriguez changes that reality.
© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 7.4.1