Delayed orders from senior military commanders, a lack of basic equipment and overall confusion were among the issues that hindered the deployment of Venezuelan troops in the crucial first days after two devastating earthquakes struck ?the country¡¯s coast last month, eight sources familiar with the response said, amid public outrage over the government¡¯s response to the disaster.
The 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes killed about 5,000 people, according to the government, though experts including the United States Geological Survey have predicted a likelihood of a final death toll of nearly double that figure. The disaster was especially devastating in La Guaira state, home to the country¡¯s main airport, a major port and hundreds of high-rise residential buildings that collapsed either fully or partially.
Acting President Delcy Rodriguez, who is backed by U.S. President Donald Trump, has defended the government¡¯s response amid criticism that military personnel and other officials arrived late and ?have done little to help victims of the quake, including people who were trapped in the rubble.
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