Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly of Venezuela, appeared before the media this Wednesday to defend the official response to the devastating earthquakes of June 24 and to confront the misinformation that, according to him, has circulated since the beginning of the disaster, in a statement broadcast by the government-friendly channel Miraflores Al Momento.
Rodríguez focused a significant part of his speech on the false information that spread on social media following the double seismic event with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, the strongest recorded in Venezuela since 1900. "A lie can cost human lives."
"The lie about the tsunami delayed the rescue process for people on June 25," he stated.
The leader was referring to a video of the 2011 tsunami in Japan that circulated as if it were from La Guaira, debunked by fact-checkers from RTVE, Newtral, and AFP.
According to Rodríguez, such false content not only spreads misinformation but also exacerbates the psychological harm to victims: "Every time they say something that will only serve to sow dread and anxiety, it increases the damage to individuals who are already suffering psychological effects from a disaster of such magnitude."
To counter the criticisms regarding the arrival of external aid, the official presented official figures: 707,063 tons of international humanitarian assistance received, 8,893,000 kg of food distributed, 26,000 Venezuelan personnel deployed in disaster areas, 17,832 volunteers, and 4,099 international aid workers.
Moreover, it was noted that 81,589 families have been served to date.
Rodríguez also announced that this Wednesday the installation of temporary camps for the affected individuals was expedited.
"Today is a day of acceleration in the installation of temporary camps; it is a day of rapid provision for those temporary camps," he noted, specifying that the government is already preparing plans for the construction of permanent housing to replace the losses.
The official figures, however, contrast with independent estimates.
The death toll has risen to 2,295 according to the government report, but the UN estimates that up to 50,000 people are missing under the rubble.
NASA estimates that nearly 59,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed, while the UNDP places the direct damages at 6.7 billion dollars.
The government's management has also faced criticism from civil society.
The NGO PROVEA reported that the regime prioritized military deployment with over 14,000 troops in La Guaira, restricting humanitarian access. A volunteer summarized the situation in a phrase that went viral: “Here there are more rifles than shovels”.
Rodríguez acts as a public spokesperson alongside his sister Delcy Rodríguez, acting president of Venezuela since January 5, 2026, who declared a constitutional state of emergency on the night of the earthquake and militarized the state of La Guaira.
This Wednesday, the government also declared seven days of national mourning starting at 6:00 PM.
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