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Venezuela has welcomed 1,600 members of foreign rescue teams to spearhead the urgent search for survivors after devastating twin earthquakes killed more than 900 people this week.
Foreign ministry official Oliver Blanco confirmed that 17 international flights delivered the specialised crews, with 25 additional flights scheduled to arrive within the next 24 hours.
Interim President Delcy Rodriguez also deployed 14,000 military and police personnel to patrol the worst-hit state of La Guaira to secure the region and enforce sanitary measures.
Despite the massive influx of international aid, desperate residents and volunteers in the coastal city of La Guaira continue to decry a severe shortage of heavy machinery and a limited official presence.
The magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes destroyed or damaged at least 100 buildings, including many residential high-rises.
In several cut-off neighbourhoods, families and neighbours are still struggling without government assistance, clawing through the concrete rubble with their bare hands to find missing loved ones.
To accelerate the deployment of these international rescue teams, authorities completely blocked the main highway connecting Caracas to La Guaira, stating that civilian traffic was delaying emergency vehicles.
Police turned back uncredentialed civilians and journalists on Saturday morning, diverting traffic to a choked secondary road.
Meanwhile, the government continues to manage massive civilian donations, including thousands of pairs of shoes and clothing, to assist displaced families.
The disaster unfolds against the backdrop of a fragile infrastructure and deep political transition.
Workers have restored 60 per cent of the nation’s electricity, though power remains entirely dark in La Guaira and near the epicentre in Moron due to a grid crippled by years of underinvestment.
While the government notes hundreds are missing, an opposition-backed website lists over 54,000 people unaccounted for.
Following a direct call between Rodriguez, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the U.S. eased sanctions, pledged $150 million in aid, and dispatched two military ships and helicopters to assist the global rescue effort.
