Venezuela’s Rodriguez defends earthquake response after days of criticism

July 3, 2026 9:58 AM

Venezuela’s Rodriguez defends earthquake response after days of criticism

Venezuela's Interim President Delcy Rodriguez on Thursday rejected allegations that her government reacted too slowly to destruction caused by two earthquakes which killed more than 2,000 people, after days of widespread criticism of the official response. Civilians of all stripes - including survivors, family members, volunteer paramedics and foreign rescue teams - have descended on disaster areas, especially the hardest-hit northern state of La Guaira, since the 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude quakes ...

Between silence and shouts, rescuers dig for Venezuela twin quake survivors

July 1, 2026 9:26 AM

Between silence and shouts, rescuers dig for Venezuela twin quake survivors

More than 100 people stood silently on Tuesday in the road alongside what used to be the Los Cocos public housing complex in Venezuela's La Guaira state. For 10 minutes, interrupted only by the occasional cellphone ring or shout from a rescuer, people strained their ears for any sound of survivors of the twin earthquakes that last week destroyed six of the eight towers that made up the Hugo Chavez complex, known colloquially as Los Cocos. Then a horn sounded, and pickaxes and voices sprang to ...