Dozens of residents and family members of victims welcomed Delcy Rodríguez on Friday with shouts and insults during her visit to the ruins of the Petunia building in Caracas, a 22-story tower in the Chacao municipality that collapsed on Wednesday following the two devastating earthquakes that struck northern Venezuela.
Outrage erupted when soldiers from the official delegation began sweeping the street to clear a path for the official. The peak of tension came when machinery removing debris was halted to allow the visit to proceed, interrupting rescue efforts with people still trapped under the remnants of the building.
"Enough of using a tragedy like the one we're experiencing for political campaigning," shouted dozens of people stationed behind the cordoned-off area.
"The government is doing nothing for the people," chanted others present at the scene, as they tried to get closer to the delegation and recorded the tense moments with their phones.
A woman indignantly reported that "our children have been doing volunteer work for three days" and that they were removed from their activities precisely to make way for the official visit.
The incident was verified by a journalist from AFP who was present at the scene and it was widely shared on social media.
The earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 occurred on Wednesday, just 39 seconds apart, with epicenters in the Yaracuy state, and represent the largest natural disaster in Venezuela in decades.
The updated official balance this Saturday stands at 1,430 deceased, 3,238 injured, and 432 recorded seismic events. Specifically in the Petunia building, confirmed deaths reached 35.
The UN handles figures of up to 50,000 missing and 6.76 million people affected across the country.
The visit to the Petunia building is part of a pattern of public rejection of the government's handling of the emergency. The day before, Rodríguez's tour of Macuto, in La Guaira state—the most devastated area—also drew harsh criticism for being seen as political propaganda.
Citizens reported that Civil Protection was rescuing people "with the flashlight from their cell phones," that the army was noticeably absent, and that officials were hindering the organization of volunteers. On Friday, protests occurred at the Poliedro de Caracas due to the restrictions imposed on the registration of volunteers.
Rodríguez, who took on the acting presidency of Venezuela on January 5, 2026, following the capture of Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces, declared a constitutional state of emergency, announced a fund of 200 million dollars for reconstruction, and organized the arrival of rescue teams from over 16 countries, with more than 1,000 international personnel deployed.
However, the citizens' perception contrasts with that official narrative. "A government that wakes up after 48 hours doesn't want to do anything," summarized the general sentiment reported by Venezuelan media.
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