Chilean rescuers claim Venezuelan military hinders earthquake aid

The Chilean rescue team "Topos de Chile" has denounced alleged obstruction by Venezuelan military personnel during their operations following recent earthquakes in Venezuela. Francisco Lermanda, the leader of the team, stated that international rescue teams are being subjected to suspicion of espionage, which is impeding their work.

Lermanda reported that these actions have interfered with the search for survivors. He noted that identity checks have been repeatedly conducted since the brigade's arrival in the country. One notable incident involved a military official entering a high-risk zone where the Chilean team was working in makeshift tunnels amidst debris, demanding identification.

"A military officer entered the disaster zone, where our people are working in tunnels, to ask for documents," Lermanda recounted in an interview. When questioned about the frequency of these checks, a military official reportedly responded, "Because we have orders to check them periodically because you could be Yankee or Chilean spies."

The leader of Topos de Chile made this denunciation public to highlight the difficulties international teams face during rescue operations. As of the report, the government of Delcy Rodríguez had not issued a response to these allegations.