Tensions run high as death toll rises following earthquake in Venezuela

Three days after the two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 struck Venezuela, anger continues to fester among the country's citizens. The provisional death toll now stands at 1,430, while 68,900 people are still reported missing, according to authorities.

In the State of La Guaira, one of the hardest-hit regions, thousands of residents continue to search through the rubble with their bare hands, shovels, ropes, or construction equipment, hoping to find survivors. Rescue teams from the United States, Mexico, Brazil, El Salvador, and France, among others, have joined the operations.

Many victims are denouncing an inadequate response from the Venezuelan authorities, believing that government aid arrived too late and was not prepared for the scale of the disaster. Some residents even accuse officials of prioritizing their public relations over rescue operations.

Humanitarian agencies remind us that the first 48 to 72 hours are crucial for finding survivors, although chances may be extended when people buried under rubble have access to water.

The government there claims to have deployed more than 14,000 military personnel and police officers and to have welcomed over 1,600 international rescuers. Despite this, frustration is growing in the affected areas, where several altercations have occurred between residents and members of the rescue forces.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that more than six million people could be affected by the disaster, including nearly two million in Caracas. Seismic aftershocks continue to shake the country.

Despite the tragedy, a few rescues still fostered hope. An 18-day-old infant was pulled out alive from the rubble after twelve hours of searching, while several other survivors were found thanks to international teams. Rescuers now describe a true race against time to find other people still buried.