Venezuela: Volunteers Blocked by Red Tape in Quake Rescue Efforts

Hundreds of volunteers are stuck in massive queues outside a concert hall in Venezuela, waiting for government-issued permits to enter the areas hardest hit by a series of earthquakes. The chaotic scene mixes impotence, rage, and misinformation, an AFP correspondent observed.

"You need a permit to save lives, imagine that," complained Carlos Itriago, a 27-year-old rescuer. The coastal town of La Guaira is the most devastated area, with hundreds of buildings reduced to rubble by the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes that struck on Wednesday. The official death toll has surpassed 1,400, and the United Nations estimates that 50,000 people are missing.

As soon as the tremors stopped, hundreds of volunteers rushed to La Guaira with water, food, and a desire to help. Their sheer numbers created chaos, with motorcycles blocking ambulances carrying the injured to hospitals. The government militarized the state and restricted access starting Friday night, establishing a registration process for volunteers that requires permits obtained at the Poliedro de Caracas, a large concert venue.

The slow process is infuriating those in line, who shout for passage. Police are attempting to control the disorder. "We all want to collaborate, we all want to go," said Luis Toro, 56. "And they make us waste the whole morning," protested Samuel Rodríguez, 24, carrying his shovel and a Venezuelan flag. Ezequiel Rivero, 53, lamented, "I've been here since dawn queuing to go rescue people and we haven't been able to leave. Look at the time... how many lives have we already lost?"

Parliament President Jorge Rodríguez, an official spokesperson, insisted that volunteers must proceed "in an orderly manner." Meanwhile, rescue efforts are critically delayed, with time being of the essence in finding survivors among the debris.

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Todos queremos colaborar, todos queremos ir. Y nos hacen perder toda la mañana