Over 500 Dead In Venezuela As Rescuers Race To Find Quake Victims

Rescuers scramble to reach survivors before the “golden window” to save people closes, as at least 589 people have died in Venezuela’s twin quakes. The country is mired in a political and financial crisis. The second quake was the strongest in the country in more than a century. Close to 3,000 people have been wounded, many more are missing, and others remain trapped under tons of rubble. President Donald Trump has vowed to ramp up help to Venezuela following Thursday’s quake. “We took over Venezuela in less than one day, and the oil is flowing, and we’re getting along with them great,” Trump said in remarks from the Rose Garden Thursday evening. “We’re going to, by the way, help them with their big – they had a tremendous earthquake last night. Did you read about massive, massive in Caracas? But we’re going to help them out,” Trump added.

A Marine Corps general flew into Caracas on Thursday to help lead the US military’s earthquake relief effort in Venezuela, where, just six months ago, US special forces launched a deadly raid to capture President Nicolás Maduro. Maj. Gen. Kevin J. Jarrard is the senior Southern Command official on the ground. The military said he is to “plan, coordinate, and direct the flow of rescue teams, equipment, and aid into the hardest-hit areas.” US aircraft are flying search crews and supplies in, while State Department personnel are coordinating the broader response. Southern Command, which directs US military activities in Latin America and the Caribbean, said it was “surging” forces to the region at the request of the interim government.

Relief teams from around the world are also mobilizing aid, and foreign aid pledges are pouring in. “We haven’t slept a wink in our efforts to save lives,” acting President Delcy Rodríguez said on Friday. Rodríguez also praised the arrival of international assistance and emergency crews, saying, “We have saved dozens of lives.” More than 100 buildings collapsed in the La Guaira state, the area hardest hit by the double quake that struck Venezuela on Wednesday, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said.

Search and Rescue Operations Continue

During a broadcast on state-run Venezolana de Televisión (VTV), Cabello said Caraballeda and Catia La Mar were the hardest-hit areas in the state and said 11,500 security personnel would be deployed to La Guaira on Friday to “guarantee peace.” Venezuelan forces deployed to the area hit by Wednesday’s double earthquake are still searching for people who may be trapped under the rubble. In an interview granted to Venezuelan public television (VTV), the Sectoral Vice President of Public Works and Services, Juan José Ramírez, stated that operations are being carried out with different machinery, such as percussion equipment that allows for the controlled breaking of concrete, with the hope of finding and rescuing more people alive.

Ramírez appealed to the public to let specialized civil protection teams do their job. “Many times, volunteers trying to help can actually make things worse,” the official said. Ramírez emphasized that the priority is “to save lives,” while efforts are also underway to restore basic services such as water and communications.

Relief Efforts and Government Response

The US Treasury Department said Thursday it will permit “all transactions” with Venezuela “related to earthquake relief efforts.” The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) authorizes only partial and temporary relief from restrictions from June 26 through October 23. The general license allows the processing and transfer of funds on behalf of third-country individuals “to or from” Venezuela, as long as they support operations covered by the specific authorization.

Venezuelans are frustrated by the slow pace of the government’s rescue response in the immediate aftermath of the twin quakes that struck on Wednesday. “People are really frustrated. They are scared because they know that they don’t have a state that will fulfill its role. So they know that nobody is going to go there and help them,” said Venezuelan economist Jorge Jraissati. This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.