Venezuela’s Earthquake Aftermath: Relief Efforts Stymied by Ongoing Political Turmoil

Venezuela’s first responders and countless courageous citizens continue to extract survivors from the debris of 774 buildings that collapsed during last Wednesday’s twin earthquakes. The widespread collapse of structures erected during the oil‑price boom raises questions about whether this disaster marks a breaking point for a sanctions‑hit country whose services and infrastructure have deteriorated for decades. In Caracas on Saturday, the interim leader of a struggling regime faced loud boos, with many blaming the successors of Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro for prioritizing security over humanitarian aid.

We will examine how the international community can most effectively assist, paying special attention to the dozens of U.S. personnel airlifting supplies and coordinating air traffic. Once considered an adversary, the United States now claims that Venezuelans are celebrating in the streets after Maduro’s removal and the resumption of oil flows. If this moment represents a genuine turning point, what shape will that transformation take?

Produced by François Picard, Rebecca Gnignati, Juliette Laffont, Ilayda Habip, Charles Wente.

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