Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez has drawn fierce criticism after admitting that international rescue teams were pulled away from ongoing earthquake recovery operations to attend a formal government ceremony — with survivors still trapped beneath collapsed buildings and the death toll rising past 1,400.
Rodríguez herself confirmed the decision in a public statement, saying: “We wanted to pull them away from their vital tasks to say thank you.” The admission has sparked outrage in Venezuela and internationally, with critics describing the event as a cynical propaganda stunt that sacrificed precious time in the critical window for finding survivors alive.
The earthquakes that struck Venezuela’s northern coast on 24 June, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, have killed more than 1,400 people with thousands still unaccounted for across the devastated coastal state of La Guaira. Rescue teams from the United States, Mexico, Spain and elsewhere have been working through collapsed buildings in desperate conditions, with families reporting they can still hear the groans of loved ones beneath the rubble. Every hour matters in disaster rescue — survival rates for those trapped drop sharply with each passing day — making the decision to pause operations for a ceremonial event particularly difficult to defend.
Videos and posts circulating on social media showed rescuers being gathered for the event while operations were suspended, fuelling accusations that the government was prioritising its own image over human lives at the worst possible moment. The scenes drew comparisons to other criticisms of the Venezuelan government’s response, including reports that authorities were slow to mobilise in the critical first 48 to 72 hours after the quakes struck.
Rodríguez’s handling of the disaster has been met with open anger on the streets. During a visit to one of the worst-hit neighbourhoods, residents shouted at her: “The government isn’t doing anything for the people.” Others have taken rescue efforts into their own hands, clawing through rubble with bare hands due to a shortage of proper equipment and frustration at the pace of official action.
The incident fits a pattern of long-standing criticism directed at Venezuela’s government — both under Nicolás Maduro and the current administration — for politicising crises, restricting humanitarian access and prioritising public relations over practical disaster management. For many Venezuelans watching loved ones remain buried in the rubble, a government-organised thank you ceremony during the critical rescue window was not a gesture of gratitude. It was a photo opportunity.
