La Guaira

As hopes of finding more survivors fade nearly a week after Venezuela was struck by two powerful earthquakes, rescue teams continued searching through collapsed buildings on Monday while growing concern shifted toward the country's long-term humanitarian challenges.

Emergency response experts note that the first 72 hours after a major disaster are generally the most critical for rescuing survivors, although chances of survival can improve if trapped victims have access to food and water. Five days after the earthquakes, questions are mounting over whether Venezuela's financially strained administration has the capacity to provide sustained relief and rehabilitation for thousands left homeless.

The situation was further complicated by a magnitude 4.6 aftershock that struck the disaster-hit northern coastal state of La Guaira on Monday.

According to official figures, the death toll has crossed 1,700, though independent verification remains difficult because of the government's tight control over the flow of information.

Government highlights relief measures

Facing criticism over the pace and scale of its response, Venezuelan authorities sought to showcase ongoing rescue and rehabilitation efforts. Police and military personnel distributed food supplies, including canned tuna and crackers, to displaced families in La Guaira.

Jorge Rodríguez, president of Venezuela's National Assembly and brother of acting President Delcy Rodríguez, said electricity had been restored to around 90 per cent of the worst-affected areas in La Guaira. He also announced that authorities were inspecting damaged buildings for structural safety and had established 15 temporary shelters for displaced residents.

State media largely focused on rescue operations and relief efforts rather than broader questions regarding building collapses or infrastructure failures. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez shared footage on social media showing emergency responders rescuing a man alive after he had spent 43 hours trapped beneath debris.

"Every life saved is a victory for hope," she wrote on X.

Despite such moments, many families continue to wait anxiously at rescue sites, uncertain about the fate of missing relatives.

"We have to remain strong, even without food or sleep," said Ana Rada as she watched rescuers search for her brother. "Until I see his body, I still believe he could be alive."

Aftershock spreads fresh panic

Since the twin earthquakes struck last Wednesday, officials say more than 600 aftershocks have been recorded.

Monday's 4.6-magnitude tremor, located about 27 kilometres north of Caraballeda on Venezuela's Caribbean coast, caused fresh alarm. Although authorities reported no additional damage, the tremor prompted residents in parts of Caracas to rush out of buildings.

"We're back on the streets again," said Caracas resident Concepción Hernández. "It feels impossible to find peace."

International assistance expands

Governments around the world have offered support, with the United States emerging as one of the largest contributors following its expanded engagement with Venezuela earlier this year.

A senior US State Department official said around 300 American first responders are assisting rescue operations, while approximately two dozen C-17 military transport aircraft are delivering humanitarian supplies daily. Total US assistance has reportedly exceeded USD 300 million.

The US military is also helping restore operations at La Guaira port to facilitate incoming aid shipments and assisting with air traffic management after damage to the control tower at Simón Bolívar International Airport.

However, it appears unlikely that the US government will extend temporary humanitarian protections to Venezuelan nationals currently living in the United States, despite similar measures being granted to citizens of Haiti and El Salvador after major earthquakes in those countries.

The issue has attracted additional attention because many recently deported Venezuelans were reportedly staying in a hotel damaged during the earthquake, with several still unaccounted for.

Deported miner joins rescue efforts

Among those participating in rescue operations is 31-year-old Jean Sosa, a miner who said he was deported from the United States earlier this year after missing an immigration court hearing.

Having previously worked in New York City for four years, Sosa described being transferred through multiple immigration detention centres before eventually being deported to southern Mexico without his passport, phone or wallet. After making his way back to Venezuela, he travelled to the disaster zone to assist rescue workers.

Using only his mining tools, Sosa said he had helped rescue around 20 people alive since arriving in La Guaira.

"Many more lives could have been saved if proper equipment and government support had reached us sooner," he said.

He added that volunteers were working with minimal resources, often without gloves or protective equipment while improvising medical assistance.

Extent of destruction still uncertain

The full scale of the earthquake's damage remains difficult to determine.

Many Venezuelans remain sceptical of official statistics, particularly after previous disputes surrounding government transparency.

Opposition leader María Corina Machado, who is currently living in exile, criticised the government's handling of the disaster and alleged that authorities temporarily restricted airspace to prevent her return to the country. She did not provide evidence for the claim.

Government figures indicate that approximately 15,866 people have been directly affected by the disaster. By contrast, the United Nations estimates that as many as 6.8 million people across Venezuela may experience indirect effects, including displacement or disruption of essential services such as electricity and water.

The Venezuelan Red Cross has said it expects relief operations for around 300,000 people to continue for at least the next two years.

Officials have reported 855 buildings either damaged or destroyed. However, a preliminary satellite-based assessment by NASA estimated that nearly 58,870 structures may have sustained some level of damage, based on radar imagery collected by the European Space Agency.

Government updates have been delivered through brief televised statements without opportunities for media questions. Meanwhile, Venezuela's national press union alleged that foreign journalists had been temporarily barred from entering La Guaira, with authorities citing the need to minimise noise during rescue operations.

The press union criticised the restriction, arguing that timely and verified reporting is essential as rescue efforts continue.

With communications still disrupted, many families have turned to independent online databases to report missing relatives. One such platform has received reports involving more than 50,000 missing individuals, although many of those cases have yet to be verified.

Veteran firefighter Kleider Carrillo said the devastation exceeded anything he had experienced in training.

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"You prepare for disasters throughout your career," he said. "But no classroom can truly prepare you for what you see when it happens in real life."