Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez on Thursday mounted a forceful defence of her government’s response to last week’s devastating earthquakes, rejecting accusations that authorities reacted too slowly and dismissing criticism over the handling of rescue operations.
Speaking at a press conference for foreign journalists in Caracas while wearing a black ribbon in mourning, US-backed President Rodríguez pushed back against reports that residents in some of the worst-hit areas were largely left to fend for themselves in the crucial early hours after the disaster, saying that the criticism was based on a false premise.
She claimed that criticism of the response was driven by “narratives manufactured in propaganda laboratories” rather than facts on the ground.
“Your perception has a lot to do with narratives that were manufactured in propaganda laboratories,” she said, news agency AP reported.
According to Rodríguez, government records would show that authorities acted quickly and decisively after the earthquakes.
“These are claims that, in my opinion, respond more to a narrative than to reality,” she said. “Anyone who wishes to audit what actually happened is welcome to do so, because all of those orders are in writing, and so are the verbal orders I gave for the security deployment.”
‘Insensitive to victims’
She also condemned attempts to politicise the disaster, describing such efforts as insensitive to victims and their families.
“It is miserable. It is miserable, heartless, and inconsiderate toward a people experiencing anguish, suffering, and pain to create that kind of chaos,” Rodríguez said.
Earlier in the briefing, she said: “We did not wait one day, two days or three days. We activated immediately.”
Death toll expected to rise
Her remarks came as the Venezuelan government continued to face scrutiny over its response to the earthquakes, which have killed at least 2,295 people, according to official figures released on Wednesday. Authorities did not provide an updated death toll on Thursday.
Rodríguez argued that logistical challenges complicated rescue operations, particularly because key transport infrastructure had been damaged.
Rodríguez reserved some of her strongest criticism for media reports and political opponents who have questioned the government’s account of events.
The remarks came as the country’s government is facing criticism from residents of the hard-hit state of La Guaira, who said the initial absence of a large-scale search-and-rescue operation forced survivors, relatives and neighbours to dig through rubble with their bare hands in search of loved ones, an AP report added.
Rescue workers have also pointed to shortages of specialised equipment, while some experts have argued that poor-quality construction in social housing projects made certain communities more vulnerable to the earthquakes.
Pressed on reports that residents were largely on their own during the first 48 hours after the quakes, Rodríguez acknowledged that local people were the first to respond at collapsed buildings.
