Venezuela creates new military unit for disaster response amid earthquake criticism

Venezuelan interim president Delcy Rodríguez has ordered the creation of a special emergency task force within the military to handle natural disasters. The announcement came six months into her term and amid criticism of the armed forces' response to recent earthquakes.

Rodríguez stated that the new unit, named the "Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho Antonio José de Sucre" special emergency task force, will be under the Ministry of Defense. She made the announcement during the commemoration of Venezuela's 150 years of independence. The move appears to address public dissatisfaction with the military's role in rescue and debris clearing operations following earthquakes on June 24.

Defending the military, Rodríguez asserted that soldiers were actively helping the population and saving lives. She criticized those who she claimed were attempting to denigrate the armed forces and sow discord during a period of national mourning. "I don't understand how in these moments of pain for Venezuela, of national mourning, there are those who dare to be miserable, there are those who dare to plan for social explosions. There will be no social explosion here, what there is is profound social solidarity from our people," she added.

The interim president also announced that Brigadier General Pabón Castellanos will lead the new unit. She presided over the graduation of over 800 new officers and ordered the immediate deployment of newly graduated naval lieutenants to La Guaira, a region heavily affected by the earthquakes. Official figures indicate 3,342 deaths and 16,740 injuries from the quakes, with 856 buildings affected and 190 collapsed. Despite the ongoing recovery efforts, international rescue teams have largely withdrawn, leaving Venezuelan volunteers and local teams to continue the search for bodies.