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Venezuela Quake: Looting Cops Spark Outrage
1 Jul
Summary
- Four police officers arrested for looting cash from earthquake rubble.
- Volunteers criticize slow government rescue pace and alleged looting.
- Anger rises over authorities' response and conduct amid ongoing search.
In the wake of devastating twin earthquakes, four Venezuelan police officers have been arrested and are facing dismissal for allegedly looting cash from the rubble of collapsed buildings. This incident has fueled public anger, with local people, volunteers, and rescue teams continuing the arduous search for survivors.
Videos circulating on social media reportedly showed officers appropriating valuables from a ruined building in La Guaira state, prompting an official statement from the CICPC acknowledging improper conduct and initiating disciplinary action. Despite a three-year-old boy being rescued alive, hopes of finding more survivors are diminishing, intensifying public frustration over the government's response and alleged misconduct by some military and police personnel.
Volunteers, often equipped with basic tools, are critical of what they perceive as a slow official rescue effort, alongside accusations of looting, aid obstruction, and donation co-option by authorities. While senior government officials attribute public anger and looting reports to misinformation, volunteer rescuers on the ground report a limited state presence and a lack of heavy equipment, even days after the disaster.
The backlash over the government's response occurs as acting President Delcy Rodríguez seeks to consolidate power. Accusations of a long-standing governmental playbook of taking credit for positives and blaming others for negatives are circulating. The magnitude of the disaster is substantial, with preliminary analysis suggesting over 58,000 buildings may be damaged or destroyed, significantly exceeding official estimates.
