A volunteer wearing a reflective vest confronted members of the Bolivarian National Guard verbally at a checkpoint in La Guaira during rescue efforts following the devastating earthquakes of June 24, and their demands became a symbol of the collective frustration with the response of Nicolás Maduro's regime.
The video, released by Diario Versión Final on Sunday, shows the young man questioning the imbalance between armed personnel and the lack of basic tools for rescue: "There are more rifles than shovels here... and there are no criminals here."
The demonstrator, clearly outraged, also reported alleged insults from the officers and reminded them of the purpose of their presence: "This is humanitarian aid, brother, for the people."
His stance was immediately supported by those around him, who chanted, "It's not just him, it's all of us."
A second video, published on Facebook by Gilberto Dorrego TV, captures the complaint of another rescuer in the disaster area with an equally forceful tone: "That uniform to defend the homeland, right? To defend a country, the country is this... Show me your wickedness with a pick, a shovel in this mess."
The authorities did not issue any official statement regarding the reasons for the blockade at the checkpoint or the procedures followed by the personnel.
The episode is set against a backdrop of increasing criticism of the management by acting president Delcy Rodríguez, who was booed by locals during a tour of the affected areas. According to reports, her entourage stopped an excavator that was removing debris to clear a path while people were trapped beneath the rubble.
The regime also imposed a system of mandatory accreditations to enter La Guaira, which caused chaos at El Poliedro in Caracas, with hours-long lines for doctors, volunteers, and family members of victims. The Spanish rescue team Usar13 could not travel to Venezuela due to bureaucratic obstacles and ended up returning home.
Meanwhile, over 14,000 military personnel and police remained deployed in La Guaira, the state most devastated by the two earthquakes —with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, just 39 seconds apart— considered the most powerful recorded in Venezuela since 1900.
The official death toll rose to 1,450 fatalities, with 3,238 injured and tens of thousands missing: the citizen platform Encuéntralos recorded nearly 55,000 individuals unaccounted for, while the UN estimated up to 50,000 missing and reported a total of 6.76 million affected.
Among the missing are at least 32 Cubans, concentrated in Caraballeda, Catia La Mar, and Los Corales, in La Guaira, and the death of a Cuban girl and her cousin has been confirmed.
The United Nations Development Programme estimated the direct damages at 6.7 billion dollars, equivalent to 6% of Venezuela's GDP, with a total impact that could reach 20.1 billion.
Filed under: