Former Housing Minister Defends Venezuelan Housing Program, Proposes Revising Construction Norms After Earthquakes

Ricardo Molina, a former minister for Housing and Habitat and a key figure behind Venezuela's Gran Misión Vivienda Venezuela (GMVV) program, believes the earthquakes on June 24 necessitate a review of the country's design and construction criteria. He proposes incorporating new parameters to address large-magnitude seismic events.

Speaking on Unión Radio's "Al Instante" program, Molina, an engineer, argued that building assessments must consider the specific regulations active when each structure was built, rather than applying newer, post-earthquake standards. "We have to review the norms and start, all national and international experts in the area, to see how to consider events like these to develop new methods," he stated.

His comments come amid debate over damage sustained by several GMVV housing complexes, particularly in La Guaira state, which was heavily impacted by the tremors. Structures in the Caribe sector of Caraballeda, built by the Presidential Office of Special Plans and Projects (OPPPE), showed significant structural damage and partial collapses.

Molina rejected criticisms labeling Venezuelan engineers and builders as fraudulent. He asserted that the seismic forces unleashed by the earthquakes were exceptionally powerful and beyond normal expectations. He also addressed the use of expanded polystyrene in some buildings, clarifying it is an internationally recognized construction material used for thermal insulation and to reduce structural weight, not a sign of poor quality.