Venezuela’s Humanitarian Efforts Hindered by Government
Venezuela’s socialist government is reportedly blocking citizens from organizing their own humanitarian aid efforts in the wake of two devastating earthquakes, as NTN 24 noted on Thursday.
On Wednesday evening, the nation was struck by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake, quickly followed by another at 7.5. This led to widespread destruction, causing numerous buildings to collapse in areas such as Caracas and the nearby northern state of La Guaira, as well as Moron and Carabobo.
As of Friday morning, the official death count from the regime was placed at 235, with over 4,300 injuries reported. However, information on those missing was scarce, with many reports coming from independent online platforms. There are unconfirmed reports of over 50,000 people reportedly unaccounted for.
Rescue teams and humanitarian assistance from countries like the U.S., El Salvador, Spain, and the Dominican Republic have started to arrive, while local rescue teams continue searching for survivors with limited resources.
NTN 24 mentioned that officials within the Venezuelan government are obstructing citizen-led humanitarian initiatives. One such official, Burlerbi Suárez, the mayor of Mario Briceño Iragori in Aragua state, was identified as actively preventing aid collection and distribution.
Moreover, reports have emerged stating that the regime has dismantled a collection center created by the center-right Vente Venezuela party, led by María Colina Machado, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
Footage shared on social media shows Venezuelans confronting police in Valencia who insisted on dismantling a tent set up for receiving donations. Officers claimed that only the mayor’s office and the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) could manage aid, provoking anger from the crowd.
Maria Oropesa, a local coordinator for Vente Venezuela, expressed grave concern over the obstruction of aid efforts. Civil protection workers in Guanarito released a video affirming that they alone possess the authority to oversee aid collections.
In another instance, Oropesa highlighted that the Civil Protection Agency and local police have requested that Vente Venezuela cease using the term “recovery center” and instead refer to it as “material recovery.” This implies that only certain security agencies are allowed to distribute supplies.
“We can no longer accept this situation where people are following orders while so many Venezuelans suffer,” Oropesa remarked. “It’s time for us to unite and prioritize helping those in desperate need.”
The government’s resistance to allowing Vente Venezuela to organize aid collection seems to be widening to other regions, with Emil Brandt, a local party coordinator in Barinas, claiming that Bolivarian National Police have shut down a reception center in that area.
Brandt stated, “Humanitarian aid is for all who wish to contribute to this noble cause. It’s crucial to recognize that the donations do not belong to officials. The local police chief has closed our collection center here.”
Despite facing harassment from the regime, Vente Venezuela reportedly has set up a humanitarian aid collection center at its base in the Altamira district of Caracas.
