Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, has come under mounting pressure over her government's response to the devastating twin earthquakes that struck on 24 June, claiming over 3,300 lives and leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. As she marked Venezuela's independence day with a military ceremony, Ms Rodríguez sought to reassure the nation that the country would not descend into social unrest, insisting instead that “there will be no social unrest here – what we have here is deep social solidarity.”
The Information Ministry reported on Sunday night that the death toll had risen to 3,342, with more than 16,700 people injured in the powerful 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes, which represent one of Latin America's worst earthquake disasters. The La Guaira area, north of Caracas, has been particularly hard hit, with scores of buildings collapsed and thousands left homeless.
Eleven days after the double shocks, international rescue teams are concluding their operations to locate survivors, but families continue to search for loved ones among the extensive wreckage. One harrowing story is that of Rosa López, whose 25-year-old son-in-law, José Antonio Toledo, was found under the building where he worked. The family's struggle to secure a burial plot highlights the inadequacies in the government's initial response, which has left many feeling abandoned and angry.
Forensic technicians on the ground are bracing themselves for the long-term task of recovering bodies from the rubble. Joel Mirabal, a forensic technician who has worked continuously since the quakes, estimates that 60% to 70% of cases will require identification by relatives or neighbours, often relying on tattoos, scars, or familiar clothing due to the state of the remains.
The grim reality is that mass graves will have to be created. Mr Mirabal and his colleagues anticipate spending up to three months collecting bodies, underscoring the long-term humanitarian crisis facing Venezuela in the wake of this catastrophic natural disaster.