Double earthquake leads to chronic precariousness in Venezuela

The double earthquake that struck Venezuelan territory on Wednesday night led to the chronic precariousness that the Caribbean country has faced for decades under Chavista administration. The improvisation in rescuing survivors, carried out by the residents themselves, the slowness in updating the number of victims and missing people and the general lack of infrastructure to deal with a catastrophe, whose effects are worsening every minute, reflect the State's failure and negligence in supporting the population.

The numbers released by the government do not match the terrifying scenes of destruction, which reveal Venezuelans' sense of despair, combined with the unpreparedness and incapacity of civil protection systems. A website created by the population to track the missing lists more than 40 thousand people.

"The earthquake hit a country already shaken by another catastrophe: a prolonged humanitarian emergency, an authoritarian government and a deeply deteriorated information ecosystem. While thousands tried to locate missing relatives, many platforms remained blocked and independent media continued to face censorship and restrictions on their activities. We didn't know how many buildings had collapsed. We didn't know how many people had died. We didn't even know where to look", summarized the journalist Gabriela Mejones Rojo, in a dramatic statement to the Spanish newspaper "El País".

The earthquake calls into question the political transition led by interim president Delcy Rodríguez, in charge of the country since January and under the supervision of the American government, after the deposition of Nicolás Maduro.

President Donald Trump's description of a "happy country" at a rally before the earthquake seemed far from the reality of the 68% of Venezuelans who live in extreme poverty. Annual inflation, at 524%, is the highest in the world. The country's debt, at US$240 billion, is equivalent to 180% of GDP, according to the IMF.
The first two days of aid exposed the dysfunctional State perpetrated in almost three decades by Chavismo: the deterioration of the electrical system, which subjects Venezuelans to daily blackouts, and the lack of water and medical supplies. The shortage was already chronic before the tragedy, the result of mismanagement and corruption.
"The earthquake was not predictable, but it was known that it would occur at some point. Risk mitigation, disaster preparedness and the institutional structure for responding to emergencies are non-existent in a country whose State was devoid of the minimum capabilities for government management. Chavista corruption and incompetence today are reflected in the lives of Venezuelans", attested economist Omar Zambrano on the X network.
As an example, three days ago, the Venezuelan Medical Federation asked the government for clarification about the 71 tons of medicines sent this year by the USA and which had not reached hospitals. Last April, the entity reported the shortage and abandonment of 90% of the 301 hospitals. They are the ones who, under these conditions, will have to shoulder the Herculean mission of caring for victims.

Source: G1