Confusion, lack of equipment hindered Venezuela's response to earthquake that killed over 5,000: Report

Venezuela’s military response to the devastating June 24 earthquakes was slowed by delayed deployment orders, poor coordination among senior officials and shortages of essential equipment, according to multiple sources cited by Reuters.The sources, including active and retired military officers, diplomatic officials and people with knowledge of the armed forces, said the lack of a clear disaster-response plan meant troops were not mobilised quickly during the crucial hours after the twin earthquakes struck the country’s coast.While acting president Delcy Rodriguez has maintained that 4,000 personnel were deployed immediately. Witnesses and the sources said civilians carried out much of the initial rescue work before international teams, firefighters and a limited number of soldiers arrived.Confusion over the chain of command further delayed operations, with responsibility split between multiple officials. Some military units were reportedly ready to deploy but never received orders, while others lacked transport, helicopters and even basic rescue tools.“We don’t act on our own; we receive direct orders,” an active-duty officer told Reuters. “We didn’t have a plan… There was no plan for dealing with something like this.”The officer said troops from his unit were sent to La Guaira only a day after the earthquakes, after finally receiving orders. “We weren’t going to leave without preparation or logistics because obviously nobody is prepared for something like this,” ⁠the officer said. “The troops in Caracas should at least have been sent to provide security and help however they could.”One official said the Marine Infantry Brigade was ready to deploy but never received instructions, while another said their unit lacked enough vehicles to transport personnel. Three other sources cited shortages of equipment, including hammers, pickaxes and helicopters fitted with night vision capabilities.A diplomatic source also alleged that delays in assigning search sectors to international rescue teams during the first 48 hours wasted crucial time.“There was no plan and the chain of command was weak; many people simply didn’t know what to do,” the source said.Four sources also blamed overlapping authority between National Guard commander Juan Sulbaran Quintero, who was appointed to oversee the response, and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello for creating confusion over who was directing military and police operations.Several sources further told Reuters that years of economic crisis had eroded the military’s operational readiness, with limited budgets affecting maintenance, transport and emergency response capabilities. One source also said the earthquakes struck on Army Day, when many personnel were off duty, and that no immediate recall order was issued.The June 24 earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, killed over 5,000 people, according to the government, though the US Geological Survey has estimated the final death toll could be nearly double that figure.