Aragua governor blames earthquakes for prolonged power outages

Aragua Governor Joana Sánchez has attributed the ongoing and prolonged electricity outages in the state to the earthquakes that struck on June 24 and the more than 1,400 aftershocks recorded since. Sánchez stated that these seismic events likely damaged substations within the national interconnected system, moving away from the usual official explanations that cited climate impacts.

During an official address, Sánchez explained that the supply failures hinder the full utilization of the 600 megawatts generated by the Termo Carabobo plant. This energy is shared with Aragua to try and maintain local electricity services. Without immediate technical solutions or infrastructure improvements announced, the governor acknowledged that the situation "diminishes any type of governmental effort," leaving the affected population to contend with persistent, continuous failures.

Amid the operational collapse of the power system, Sánchez cautioned against individuals and groups who, she claimed, exploit the current situation to incite aggression and violence. "We have also seen how citizens are taking advantage of this moment and this situation to call for aggression and violence," she said, reminding the public that Venezuela is a peaceful country where the constitution guarantees the right to protest and free expression within legal limits.

To reassure affected communities, Sánchez stated that authorities remain deployed across the state. International efforts are also underway, with the government engaging companies like General Electric and Siemens to help resolve the crisis within the interconnected system. Meanwhile, residents in Aragua and Carabobo have reported enduring multiple daily rationing periods since March, despite an earlier announcement of a 45-day rationing plan.