Experts find government 'totally ineffective' in worsening Venezuela earthquake disaster

Venezuela was already in a deep humanitarian crisis before being shaken by successive earthquakes on June 24. The country was facing hospitals suffering from shortages of medicine and medical equipment, daily power outages, and at least 8 million people waiting for help. This negative picture caused the interventions required at the time of the disaster to remain weak and led to further victimization of the public.

Assessments made immediately after the earthquakes revealed the inadequacy of the country's infrastructure and emergency mechanisms. Experts described the government's stance so far as 'totally ineffective', holding it responsible for the failure to mitigate the effects of the disaster. Chronic problems prior to the earthquake also hindered post-disaster recovery efforts and led to the escalation of the crisis.

The collapse of the health sector is of vital importance, especially in situations requiring emergency medical intervention such as earthquakes, but hospitals in Venezuela were not in a position to meet this need. The lack of medicine and equipment caused major delays and disruptions in treating the injured. In addition, the constant power cuts made it difficult to maintain communication and coordination, negatively affecting aid efforts.

International observers and local experts note that the failure in disaster management is not merely an operational error, but also an indicator of a political and administrative collapse. The government's response to the disaster, the failure to take predetermined precautions, and the lack of coordination during the crisis were at the center of the criticisms. This situation once again proved how low Venezuela's resilience to disasters is.

Global aid organizations warn that the situation will continue to worsen without the intervention of the international community in an environment where 8 million people are in need of humanitarian aid. Economic and social instability prior to the earthquake made it almost impossible to heal the wounds of the natural disaster. Experts emphasize that for a real recovery, a change in management and the implementation of a transparent disaster management plan are required first.