Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela’s north-central coast on Wednesday, registering magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 and marking some of the strongest tremors to hit the country in over a century. As of Friday morning, authorities confirmed at least 589 deaths, with hundreds more missing or trapped beneath rubble. The U.S. Geological Survey cautioned the death toll could ultimately surpass 10,000, highlighting a significant gap between official figures and independent estimates amid ongoing disaster response challenges.

The affected region, including the state of Vargas, has a history of vulnerability to natural disasters exacerbated by decades of economic decline and infrastructure neglect under the Chavista governments. Hugo Chávez came to power in 1999 promising to revitalize Venezuela, but a series of crises have exposed systemic failures to adequately prepare for and respond to emergencies. In December 1999, torrential rains triggered devastating floods and landslides in Vargas, claiming an estimated 30,000 lives according to widely accepted figures, underscoring longstanding weaknesses in housing, urban planning, and disaster management.

This seismic activity occurs along the boundary where the Caribbean and South American tectonic plates converge, with the Boconó fault running beneath the region. Experts have warned for years about the susceptibility of Venezuela’s infrastructure, much of which predates the Chavista era and was poorly maintained or inadequately replaced. Large-scale government housing projects have been criticized for lacking transparency, proper construction standards, and being built on unsafe terrain, raising concerns about their resilience to earthquakes.

Economic turmoil has compounded these issues. Venezuela’s economy shrank by approximately 75% between 2014 and 2021, oil production plummeted amid political purges, and the national currency collapsed. The resulting humanitarian crisis has driven nearly 8 million Venezuelans to flee abroad. The United Nations estimates around 5 million people continue to face hunger, while hospitals operate at half capacity amid chronic underfunding and shortages.

Corruption remains a persistent problem, with allegations that the state oil company funneled an estimated $21 billion into private accounts as national debt reached $240 billion. Critics argue these funds could have been directed toward essential infrastructure and social services, including seismic retrofitting and emergency preparedness.

Following the January seizure of President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces and his subsequent detention in New York, interim leadership under Delcy Rodríguez has faced scrutiny for a delayed and insufficient response to the earthquakes. Residents in affected areas have reported scarce government assistance, with volunteers and locals relying on their own resources to provide food, medicine, and rescue efforts.

Despite Maduro’s removal, the core political and economic structures have largely endured. The United States has lifted sanctions this year and entered into agreements with Venezuelan officials, including an expanded stake by Chevron in oil ventures. Such moves have sparked debate over balancing pragmatic engagement with holding the government accountable for longstanding governance failures.

The recent disasters lay bare the consequences of prolonged neglect and raise urgent calls for the Venezuelan government and its international partners to prioritize human rights and invest meaningfully in disaster resilience and public welfare. While natural forces triggered this crisis, many experts argue the deeper crisis stems from decades of institutional shortcomings and mismanagement.