In the aftermath of the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24, public frustration with the government has surged, particularly in the northern state of La Guaira, one of the hardest-hit areas. As rescue efforts pivot toward recovery, many Venezuelans have expressed open criticism of the ruling party and its leadership—a reaction that would have been rare in previous years due to fear of repression.

Residents and volunteers in La Guaira, many working with basic tools and bare hands, accuse police and National Guard personnel of neglecting victims outside their own ranks while rescue resources remain insufficient. “The police were rescuing only their own,” said José Silva, a resident who has spent days extracting survivors and recovering bodies from rubble. He added that government-supplied equipment was inadequate and dismissed fears of reprisal, stating, “Why would I be afraid, if I was born to die?”

The public discontent has also targeted the Trump administration, which has supported Vice President Delcy Rodriguez as the interim leader following Nicolás Maduro’s capture earlier this year. While the U.S. government initially praised Rodriguez’s leadership, her handling of the disaster, especially during the critical first 72 hours, has come under increasing scrutiny. John Barrett, the U.S. envoy to Venezuela, has expressed confidence in Venezuelan authorities, but some members of Congress have criticized Rodriguez, with Representative Carlos Gimenez describing her as an “interim dictator” and calling for political change.

Demonstrators have gathered outside the U.S. embassy in Caracas, urging Barrett to engage more with civil society groups rather than the government. Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who lacks authorization to re-enter the country, remains outside Venezuela, unable to participate directly in the unfolding crisis.

At a recent press briefing, Rodriguez defended her administration’s response, stating that emergency personnel had been mobilized swiftly, growing from 4,000 to 19,000 workers. She characterized the earthquake as an unprecedented natural disaster and disparaged media reports portraying the situation as chaotic. Official channels have publicized rescue efforts involving international emergency workers, including a team from Chile that located a man trapped for a week.

However, these accounts contrast sharply with widespread reports from local residents. Kimberling Leon, who lost track of her two young sons in the rubble, described the government response as negligent, saying that police initially filmed the devastation but offered no help. She and others resorted to digging by hand for days until some basic tools finally arrived. According to witnesses, heavy machinery was diverted to private buildings where residents could pay for assistance, leaving many public housing complexes unattended.

The disaster has displaced thousands, and the official death toll of over 3,500 may underestimate the true human cost. The humanitarian situation is expected to worsen, placing further strain on government resources and political stability.

Authorities have responded to growing unrest with heightened security measures. A volunteer rescuer, Wilmer Cruz, who spoke out publicly about the government’s inadequate response, was briefly detained before being released following protests by human rights organizations. Critics warn that while the earthquake has exposed vulnerabilities in governance, it has not altered the country’s entrenched authoritarian structures.

As Venezuela grapples with both natural and political crises, the coming weeks will be pivotal in determining whether public demands for accountability and improved governance can be addressed without triggering further repression.