Reuters: Army delays, internal disorganization hampered Venezuela's earthquake response

The Venezuelan army's response to a significant earthquake on June 24 was severely hindered by institutional failures, including a lack of emergency plans, delayed instructions, and shortages of essential equipment during the crucial first 48 hours. This logistical paralysis led to widespread public discontent in La Guaira over the government's disaster management and caused significant delays in critical rescue operations.

Testimonies gathered by Reuters revealed that despite official government reports claiming the immediate deployment of 4,000 personnel, witnesses and military sources confirmed a notable absence of uniformed officers in the initial crisis phase. Consequently, civilian residents took charge of collapsed areas in La Guaira, using household tools to clear debris.

An active-duty officer, speaking anonymously, explained the internal command structure's rigidity. "We don't act on our own; we receive direct orders. It was impossible to tell my unit: 'Let's go help La Guaira,' if I hadn't been ordered to do so. We didn't have a plan like the ones for defending the nation," the officer stated. This fear of administrative sanctions or reprimands stifled initiative among regional commanders.

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We don't act on our own; we receive direct orders. It was impossible to tell my unit: 'Let's go help La Guaira,' if I hadn't been ordered to do so. We didn't have a plan like the ones for defending the nation.

Diplomatic sources indicated that this inaction also affected foreign humanitarian aid brigades, whose teams lost crucial hours waiting for assigned search sectors. The situation in the barracks was described as one where "everyone looks up waiting for an order. They prefer to do nothing rather than act and risk being reprimanded."

Material limitations exacerbated the political coordination failures. Key units, such as the Marine Infantry Brigade, remained stationed in barracks due to a lack of orders, while other battalions lacked vehicles to transport soldiers to the disaster's epicenter. Inspections found garrisons without essential tools like picks or hammers, and lacking helicopters with night vision for nocturnal flights. The disorganization reportedly reached ministerial levels, with the deputy minister in charge of disaster areas arriving at midnight without adequate communication equipment to report the structural collapse's true scale.

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everyone looks up waiting for an order. They prefer to do nothing rather than act and risk being reprimanded.