Rescue operations in La Guaira, Venezuela’s most severely affected region following recent earthquakes, showed marked improvement on Sunday as international teams joined local efforts. Previously, residents had voiced frustration over the slow and disorganized response. The Venezuelan government announced that more than 14,000 military and police personnel are now deploying in La Guaira, where access remains restricted and entry requires special permits.

Communication difficulties caused by damaged infrastructure and intermittent cellphone service have led many Venezuelans to rely on non-governmental digital platforms to report missing persons. One such database listed over 50,000 people as missing, though officials have not clarified how many have since been located.

Amid ongoing grief, moments of hope emerged on Sunday when rescue teams from the United States, France, and Venezuela pulled a man and his son from beneath rubble in La Guaira. The pair were covered in dust and barely responsive when extracted, but were swiftly given medical attention and transported to a hospital. Bystanders and rescuers applauded the successful recovery before continuing their work.

Elsewhere in the state, Helen Guedez and her mother remain desperate to find her father, Jesús, who has been trapped since the earthquake. U.S. rescue teams confirmed he was alive but deemed the building too unstable to safely enter. Undeterred, Guedez said she and a group of civilian volunteers, including local miners, were attempting alternative methods to reach him. “We’re not going to give up,” she said.

Medical facilities in the capital, Caracas, are strained but managing the surge of patients. Domingo Luciani Hospital reported treating over 3,100 injured individuals, many suffering crush wounds. Anesthesiologist Leomery Pérez said the hospital has been able to cope due to substantial donations of medical supplies from the public.

The disaster presents significant challenges for acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed office in January following the removal of Nicolás Maduro. Since then, the United States has increased its influence in Venezuela’s political direction. The country has been grappling with economic instability for more than a decade, and Rodríguez’s administration faces opposition from many citizens who do not recognize its legitimacy.

Ronal Rodríguez, a researcher at the Venezuelan Observatory at the University of Rosario in Bogotá, highlighted the complex factors complicating the response. “There is political interference by the United States, operational incompetence of a government that has driven the country into a complex humanitarian crisis, and now an earthquake striking a place with limited human capital and short-term resources to address the situation,” he said.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez announced the formation of a special commission to assess damage to residential buildings and determine whether displaced residents can safely return. She also pledged continued efforts to search for survivors amid the rubble. “Today we recovered people who are still alive,” she said. “We always maintain hope.”