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🇻🇪 Venezuela /Disasters & Emergencies

Rescue machinery for La Guaira earthquake 'is stopped,' citizens denounce

From El Nacional · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • A citizen in La Guaira, Venezuela, criticized the slow and inoperative state machinery used for earthquake rescue efforts.
  • The man stated that families of the missing have been more effective in rescue operations than official teams.
  • He alleged that some state machinery has been idle for days and that authorities are using the tragedy for photo opportunities.

La Guaira, Venezuela – Amidst the ongoing search for loved ones lost in the devastating earthquakes, a citizen in La Guaira has voiced strong criticism over the perceived ineffectiveness of state-provided rescue machinery.

From the government, the machines have been stopped.

— Unnamed citizenCriticizing the lack of operational heavy machinery for rescue efforts following earthquakes in La Guaira.

The man, whose mother is missing, reported that the heavy equipment deployed by official bodies is operating too slowly. He claimed that some machinery has been intermittently used or has been completely idle for several days, hindering rescue efforts.

He contrasted this with the efforts of residents, who have managed to secure independent machinery and conduct their own rescue operations with greater efficiency. "From the government, the machines have been stopped," he stated during an interview with journalist Luis López.

They have been going around, driving around, but we haven't seen any results.

— Unnamed citizenDescribing the perceived lack of progress with state machinery deployed for rescue operations.

The citizen further alleged that authorities are more interested in posing for photographs with the machinery than in achieving tangible results. He accused officials of "politicizing the tragedy" and emphasized that it is the families of the disappeared who are driving the search and rescue operations, often working tirelessly to pull victims from the rubble.

They take pictures to say they have helped.

— Unnamed citizenAccusing authorities of prioritizing appearances over effective rescue work.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Nacional in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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