The chavista regime restricted access to the state of La Guaira starting at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, two days after two earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 devastated that coastal area of Venezuela, sparking a wave of public outrage against the acting president Delcy Rodríguez.
Diosdado Cabello, the Minister of the Interior, announced the measure from La Guaira and presented it as a direct instruction from Rodríguez: "Starting today, at 8 PM, access to the state of La Guaira is restricted."
"Anyone who wants to come must adhere to the established protocols: register at the Poliedro, and the authorities will be making decisions along the route to prevent individuals without an assigned task from entering," stated the state television VTV.
Those wishing to enter the state must register in advance at the Poliedro de Caracas to obtain a valid credential.
The motorized volunteers who complete that procedure will receive an identification vest before entering the area.
Cabello justified the restriction with three arguments: the traffic congestion that hinders the passage of ambulances and rescue teams, the health risks posed by bodies under the rubble more than 48 hours after the earthquake, and the presence of uncoordinated civilians that obstructs operations.
“The very residents here have stated that there are many people obstructing movement. When a siren sounds, it brings an injured person,” he noted.
However, the measure intensified the fury of the Venezuelans, who had already been denouncing the state's neglect since the earthquakes shook the northern part of the country on Wednesday, June 24.
The journalist from the Associated Press Agency Juan Arraez documented in video citizens digging through the rubble with their bare hands, who claimed to have seen very few state rescue teams in the most affected areas.
The visit of Rodríguez to the parish of Macuto, the most devastated area, was met with a wave of criticism on social media.
"No money was spared for luxury SUVs, but there was never any for the hospitals," wrote a user. Others questioned the absence of the military: "Where is the army? The same one that was deployed during the protests." Phrases like "A completely useless and embarrassing media show" and "Liars, the people are alone" circulated widely.
Civil Protection was criticized for rescuing people with the flashlights on their cell phones due to a lack of proper equipment, contrasting with the international response: more than a thousand rescuers from 16 countries — including 300 from El Salvador, as well as teams from Mexico, Brazil, and the United States — arrived in Venezuela to assist in the efforts.
The official report as of Friday indicates 589 deaths, 2,980 injured, and 157 missing, with at least 200 people still trapped under the debris. In La Guaira, 250 buildings collapsed, the José María Vargas Hospital was destroyed, and the Maiquetía International Airport remains closed.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has issued a Red Alert and estimates a 42% probability that the final number of casualties could be between 10,000 and 100,000 people. Since the main earthquakes, more than 130 aftershocks have been recorded, including one with a magnitude of 4.4 early this Friday that triggered scenes of panic among residents and rescuers.
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