Venezuela’s Response to Earthquakes Using VenApp
On Thursday, Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, announced that VenApp, the state-run social media platform, is now being utilized to report missing persons following the devastating twin earthquakes that struck the country on Wednesday. Previously, Maduro had employed VenApp to target anti-socialist dissenters.
On Wednesday night, two back-to-back earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, hit Venezuela, resulting in extensive damage and collapsing buildings, especially in the capital, Caracas, and the nearby La Guaira state. The country’s main airport, Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetia, faced closure due to infrastructural damage.
Official figures have seen the reported death toll increased from 32 to 164, with around 970 individuals injured as of early Thursday. Rodríguez mentioned that VenApp was promptly activated to allow notifications about missing individuals and the structural integrity of homes after the quakes. Initially launched in 2022 as part of a “transparency” initiative under Maduro, the platform has seen controversial applications in the past.
When it was first introduced, authorities asserted that VenApp would enable users to address complaints and service deficiencies in the country’s deteriorating public utilities. After a disputed presidential election in July 2024, there were attempts to modify VenApp so that users could report socialist regime dissenters. Unfortunately, plans to transform it into a full “reporting” app fell through after Maduro’s arrest by U.S. forces in January 2025.
For many years, observers have criticized the Venezuelan government for its underinvestment in disaster preparedness, leaving civil protection and emergency response teams lacking the necessary resources and equipment to effectively manage crises. Recent footage has depicted rescue workers conducting search operations in the rubble using limited, makeshift tools like mobile phones for light.
Rodríguez has made an unusual appeal to the private sector, seeking collaboration to rent heavy machinery for search and rescue efforts. This marks a notable departure for the socialist administration, as she met with the president of the Federation of Venezuelan Chambers of Commerce and Industry to enhance these efforts.
Furthermore, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that the United States is ready to assist Venezuela, noting that initial reports from the situation were concerning. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in updates, indicated that search and rescue teams from Virginia and California are being deployed.
Rubio emphasized the urgency of search and rescue operations, given the number of collapsed structures, and noted that quick intervention is necessary to save lives buried under debris. He also mentioned that aerial imagery is being provided to assess damage, especially along the coast.
Several other nations, including El Salvador, Mexico, Qatar, and India, have also expressed their intent to offer humanitarian support to Venezuela.
As of Thursday morning, the Venezuelan regime reported 164 fatalities, but preliminary models from the U.S. Geological Survey suggest that the actual death toll may be considerably higher, possibly between 10,000 and 100,000.
